Droid Life

Google Voice Update on the Way, New ICS-Style Icon Included (Updated)

Kellen — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 10:32:18 +0000

On the heels of the release of Google Chrome for Android, it appears as if Google Voice is also about to get a bump. The market won't let you actually update the app just yet, but we can see that a new icon will at least be introduced. Will keep an eye on it. Update: If your market will not allow you to update, try this trick from reader fallingd0wn:

Pull up Google Voice in the web market on a PC. It will show installed already on your phone, but click "Install" anyway. You'll get the updated version.

Update 2: We have comparison shots of the new UI along with a feature for tablets called "Click-to-Call." Cheers Wayne, Isaac, Tojo, and Adrian!

Chrome Beta for Android Released!

Kellen — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 09:50:17 +0000

Chrome for Android literally just went live in the market all of 2 minutes ago. We haven't even had a chance to play with it ourselves, so go grab it and come back for our reactions in a bit. So far, it is only available to Android 4.0 devices. Market Link | Mirror

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVjw7n_U37A[/youtube]

Video: Motorola Introduces the DROID 4 with the Coolest French Accent Ever

Kellen — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 09:34:48 +0000

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GHNZlpwBx4o[/youtube]

Alain Mutricy is the senior VP of portfolio and product management at Motorola. More importantly, he has an awesome French accent that turned this intro video for the DROID 4 into an instant classic. I'm not sure that I want to buy one anymore than I did before watching it, but that is not this video's fault. Just watch and enjoy.

Tip: Browser Quick Controls Expanded in Android 4.0.4, This is the Perfect Mix

Kellen — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 08:58:33 +0000

One of our favorite features in all of Ice Cream Sandwich is the set of quick controls that the stock browser offers. We featured these controls during one of our Android 4.0 tutorials and have even turned to 3rd party browsers like Browser Plus because it offered an expanded set of them. They really do make your browsing experience that much more fluid should you get the hang of the idea. Unfortunately, we felt like we were stuck with two extremes when it came to stock or Browser Plus controls. What I mean by that is, the stock browser only offered the ability to switch tabs, load settings or activate the address bar, while Browser Plus seemed to offer too many controls, making the experience a little overwhelming. In Android 4.0.4, Google has found the perfect balance in activating a couple of extra controls. As you can see from the screenie up top, you now have the ability to add a tab and jump into bookmarks. These probably should have been activated initially, but for whatever reason, we are just now getting them in 4.0.4. If you have yet to use "Quick Controls," I highly suggest that you give them a shot. Head into Settings>Labs through the browser to get started. You can install Android 4.0.4 on you Galaxy Nexus using these instructions. *Note - As many have pointed out in the comments, these were available in 4.0.3 as well, but only those that were able to flash ROMs could experience them. Cheers samuel!

New DROID Bionic Update 5.9.902 is Ready, Here is the Changelog

Kellen — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 07:58:56 +0000

Two days ago, Motorola announced that a new update was headed to the DROID Bionic. We assumed that it was the 5.9.902 update that our sources tipped us off about a few weeks back, and sure enough that is exactly what it is. The update will introduce a couple of pieces of bloatware, but most importantly will make the device more stable - something that Bionic uses have been asking for from day 1. Black screen lockups, camera issues, idle resets, and multimedia dock freezes have all been addressed. Oh, battery life should also be a tad better. The update is 57.6MB in size. Be sure to let us know when it pops up on your device. Update: If you a part of the Motorola Feedback Network and have registered your Bionic or soak tests, you should be able to pull the update now. More info. Cheers Dan!

Verizon Launching New Deals This Friday: Double Data is Back, Buy-One-Get-One Free for DROID RAZRs

Kellen — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 07:44:10 +0000

Starting Friday (yes, the same day that the DROID 4 goes on sale), Verizon will re-launch their "Double Data" promo for 4G LTE devices. As long as you purchase a new LTE device and add on at minimum a $30 data package, Big Red will double your data amount for the same price. Their 2GB, 5GB, and 10GB plans will turn into 4GB, 10GB, and 20GB plans without a jump in price. No time frame details were given to us, but this promo won't last forever. The last time VZW introduced "Double Data," customers were able to double up from early November to mid-January. In related news, a buy-one-get-one free (BOGO) deal will go live that same day for the DROID RAZR and the RAZR MAXX. Priced at $199 and $299 respectively, this will be one of the better deals we have seen from Verizon in a long time. The RAZR MAXX is all of 3 weeks old and at least in our minds, is one of the top Android smartphones ever (our full review). Whether you are a new or existing customer, you may want to consider jumping into action on Friday.

Verizon Finally Announces DROID 4 Availability, Hitting Stores Friday for $199

Kellen — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 07:17:38 +0000

Verizon confirmed this morning what we reported last week, the DROID 4 will be available this Friday (February 10) for $199 on new 2-year contract. The device is the first 4G LTE device with a slideout keyboard and dual-core processor, making this the option for those that can't live with an on-screen keyboard only and want something fairly future-proofed. We have had our hands all over this device, something you will want to check out if you are in the market for a new smartphone. And that's that.

DROID 4 By Motorola Ready To Work And Play On The Verizon Wireless 4G LTE Network

Power, Speed and Reliability Get the Job Done
BASKING RIDGE, NJ — The award winning DROID 4 by Motorola will be available to handle even the most demanding lifestyles starting Feb. 10 in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores and online at www.verizonwireless.com. Introduced at this year’s Consumer Electronic Show (CES), the DROID 4 is the thinnest and most powerful 4G QWERTY smartphone measuring at less than half an inch thin. DROID 4 not only features a dual-core 1.2 GHz processor, but also a five-row QWERTY keyboard with a PC-like layout and edge-lit keys for fast, precise typing, even in the dark. Powered by America’s fastest, most reliable 4G network, DROID 4 customers will have access to 4G LTE coverage in 195 markets covering more than 200 million people. Additional features

Verizon Wireless 4G LTE – Customers can expect fast download speeds of 5 to 12 megabits per second (Mbps) and upload speeds of 2 to 5 Mbps in 4G LTE Mobile Broadband coverage areas

Android™ 2.3.5 Gingerbread, to be upgraded to Android™ 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich

4.0-inch qHD display with scratch and scrape resistant glass

Government-grade encryption (FIPS 140-2) for email, calendar and contacts; preloaded with Citrix® Receiver™ for Android (available in webtop) for desktop virtualization and access

8-megapixel camera with 1080p HD video capture

Front-facing camera for video chat

4G LTE Mobile Hotspot supporting up to eight Wi-Fi-enabled devices

Business Ready DROID 4 is designed to help customers get more done. Business professionals can impress their audience by presenting to a conference room full of potential customers in a snap by plugging the DROID 4 into an HDTV and presenting directly from the phone. Professionals can also combine the DROID 4 with the Lapdock 500 and its 14-inch display to create a full-featured mobile office. They can download documents, make edits using Lapdock’s full keyboard and email the updated documents to colleagues or customers. The Lapdock even features a built-in webcam so customers can attend virtual meetings and manage their business face-to-face. The Smart Actions app on the DROID 4 helps automate everyday tasks and optimizes battery efficiency by letting customers create rules, such as automatically setting the phone to vibrate during work hours or dimming the display at a specific battery level. Business professionals can leave their laptops behind and use the MotoCast™ app to remotely stream documents, videos, music and pictures from their work or home computers to their handset. The remote access of MotoCast eliminates the need to store documents on the handset as everything is stored on their office laptop. Pricing and availability

DROID 4 by Motorola will be available on Feb. 10 in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores and online atwww.verizonwireless.com for $199.99 with a new two-year customer agreement.

The Lapdock 500 is available in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores and online for $299.97.

Customers that purchase a DROID 4 will need to subscribe to a Verizon Wireless Nationwide Talk plan beginning at $39.99 monthly access and a smartphone data package starting at $30 monthly access for 2 GB of data.

For more information on Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to www.verizonwireless.com. Follow @VZWnews on Twitter for the latest news on Verizon Wireless. About Verizon Wireless Verizon Wireless operates the nation’s largest 4G LTE network and largest, most reliable 3G network. The company serves 108.7 million total wireless connections, including 92.2 million retail customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with nearly 82,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE, NASDAQ: VZ) and Vodafone (LSE, NASDAQ: VOD). For more information, visitwww.verizonwireless.com. To preview and request broadcast-quality video footage and high-resolution stills of Verizon Wireless operations, log on to the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library atwww.verizonwireless.com/multimedia. About Motorola Mobility Motorola Mobility, Inc. (NYSE:MMI) fuses innovative technology with human insights to create experiences that simplify, connect and enrich people's lives. Our portfolio includes converged mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets; wireless accessories; end-to-end video and data delivery; and management solutions, including set-tops and data-access devices. For more information, visitmotorola.com/mobility. MOTOROLA and the Stylized M Logo are registered trademarks of Motorola Trademark Holdings, LLC. Google, and Android are trademarks of Google, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. © 2012 Motorola Mobility, Inc. All rights reserved.

Tip: Want Notification Bar Toggles Without Installing a Custom ROM? Try Power Control Plus

Kellen — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:00:24 +0000

Let's be honest, notification toggles should have been built into Ice Cream Sandwich. Custom ROMs have had them for months, plus OEMs have even started building them into their skins. For whatever reason though, Google left them out and non-rooted users who own stock devices are stuck looking for options. One of those is Power Control Plus, an app that I was a huge fan of pre-ICS. This used to be a go-to app for customizing home screens as it gives you a ton of options for making the ultimate power widget. Once Honeycomb (Ice Cream Sandwich too) was released though, the app was given the ability to dock itself in the notification bar. You don't need root or a custom ROM - this can be installed with the tap of a couple of buttons. Colors, toggles and other goodies can be added thereafter. Market Link ($1.99) Cheers TheAndroid1!

Google Offers Further Clarification on Why They Removed "Support" for CDMA Devices in AOSP Like the Galaxy Nexus

Kellen — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 14:12:07 +0000

After Friday's bombshell concerning the LTE Galaxy Nexus losing official AOSP "support" from Google was barely addressed, a somewhat deeper explanation as to what this means has finally been delivered. According to Android engineer Dan Morril, the device is still a supported "Nexus" device for "everyday use" and will receive updates and all that jazz. Google is just now making it public that they can't lock down licenses for CDMA binaries like they do with GSM, therefore they cannot distribute them. So to have their developer pages represented appropriately, they have to say that "no CDMA devices are supported." Full message below.

Hi, all! Thanks for all the questions. Here’s a quick omnibus to answer the questions folks have asked... First, just to be clear this change is only related to AOSP support for these devices -- that is, personal custom builds. These are obviously still officially-supported Nexus devices for everyday use, they will receive official software updates, and so on. Similarly, these are still fully-supported development devices for app developers. Second, as I noted at the top of the thread, Nexus devices will still have unlocked bootloaders, and we’ll continue to make available as many of the closed-source binaries as we can. CDMA support in AOSP has always been more challenging than GSM, and this change is a reflection of that reality. On that topic, here’s a quick clarification on the core issue. Every device has a number of closed-source software packages included on it. Though Google distributes some of these binaries for Nexus devices for use with AOSP, Google does not own the software. Rather, this software is variously owned by the device manufacturer, the carrier, and their suppliers. We try to get distribution rights for as many of these binaries as possible, but in some cases it is difficult or impossible to obtain these rights. (CDMA specifically has a tricky history of intellectual property.) Combined with the technical issues of needing to sign the apks correctly, this has prevented us from obtaining the distribution rights we need to support these devices in AOSP. Finally, we will of course continue to work on improving support. If we can resolve these issues, we’ll certainly restore CDMA support to AOSP. In the meantime, we’ve updated our docs to be more accurate about the degree of support.

Again, CDMA is simply a pain in the ass. But what about our custom ROM community? This shouldn't ruin the experience for our ROM developers either in case you were wondering. From what I have been told, these CDMA binaries are usually pulled from the devices themselves, so if Google isn't distributing them, things should still be fine (as long as they know what they are doing). When new source is dropped, it can still be used for the LTE Nexus ("toro"). The thing here, is that the title of being "supported" isn't there for now. I think we can all live with that as long as we continue to receive support like we expected when we bought this phone. If you want even more technical details on this CDMA licensing issue, Jean-Baptiste Queru has you covered. Funny thing is, a blog post over at their Android Developers site before they made this change would have solved this all. We can talk about the action bar and the death of the menu bar, but not talk about a pretty massive re-classification of what it means to be an AOSP device? Interesting. Via: Google Groups Cheers Angelo and Pete!

Carrier Coverage Wants Your Network Experience to be Optimal, But It Needs Everyone's Help

Kellen — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 12:53:53 +0000

On Friday, a company called Carrier Coverage reached out to us with a new app that they referred to as being like Carrier-IQ, only it aims to help consumers rather than carriers. Using the term "Carrier-IQ" was an odd way of framing their position, but they had a snazzy video and what seemed like a decent enough idea that we gave it a look. So what exactly is it? Carrier Coverage wants to have enough data to be able to tell you which carrier and phone is the best in the areas that you visit most frequently. Actually, it goes beyond that. Let's say you plan to take a vacation or move into a new house - this app will eventually tell you if your particular carrier and phone will be able to perform at the level you need it to. By gathering data through their app (location, carrier, signal strength, and more), they should be able produce some useful info, assuming they get enough users. How are they gathering data? They will obviously need access to some pretty important and private info. The good news is that they acknowledge that they understand the importance of security and allow you to choose whether or not you participate (find the options in Settings). They also let you choose how often your phone is pinged so that it isn't a complete drain on your battery. Rooted users. If you are rooted, they have said that they can't use your data (initially) as it may compromise their intent. That doesn't mean you can't still utilize the app and its benefits, it just means that they can't use the info you send. Sort of makes sense. Here are some additional features that they plan to introduce:

3G vs 4G comparison
Heat maps
Specific address/radius support
Data speed tests
International support

Sound interesting enough? I can definitely see the long-term benefits of an app like this, assuming that enough people decide that it's secure and worth their time. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vclFMdNoGfQ[/youtube] Market Link

"Android Winning" T-Shirt Represents the Growth of the Platform

Kellen — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 12:22:52 +0000

The latest t-shirt design from our favorite Android t-shirt designers is known as "ANDROID WINNING." It's a slide redesign of their Andy vs. shirt, omitting the late Steve Jobs and including some additional green power. I'd have to agree that Android is winning this battle. As always, the shirt is $17 and is printed on high-quality American Apparel cotton. Another to add to your growing collection. Buy.

Verizon and Redbox Form Joint Venture to Fulfill Your Physical and Digitial Media Desires

Kellen — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 12:14:25 +0000

The ability to rent Redbox movies on your Android device is just around the corner, thanks to a join venture between Redbox and Verizon that was announced this morning. It's not exactly clear how they plan to make movie magic together, as they would only mention that details of their product portfolio will be revealed in the coming months. We do see a mention of "mobile" in the press release though, and a time frame of "second half of 2012," so before long these companies will be "freeing people to spontaneously enjoy the entertainment they want, whenever they choose, using the devices and media they prefer, at home or away."

Verizon and Coinstar's Redbox Form Joint Venture to Create New Consumer Choice for Video Entertainment

Joint Venture Will Offer the Best of Both Worlds - Physical and Digital - to All Consumers Nationwide
NEW YORK, Feb. 6, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Verizon and Coinstar, Inc. today announced the formation of a joint venture that will create a new choice for quality- and value-conscious consumers seeking a simple and affordable way to access the video entertainment they crave. The venture's services will offer all of the convenience, simplicity and value of Redbox^® new release DVD and Blu-ray Disc^® rentals combined with a new content-rich video on-demand streaming and download service from Verizon. The joint venture plans to introduce the product portfolio in the second half of 2012. It will offer subscription services and more in an easy-to-use, flexible and affordable service that will allow all consumers across the U.S. to enjoy the new and popular entertainment they want, whenever they choose, using the media and devices they prefer. Additional brand and product information will be revealed in the coming months. "When you consider the core elements the parties bring to this venture – our powerful brands; our national rental kiosk footprint; our anytime, anywhere network presence; and our mutual commitment to customer-focused innovation – it's clear that Verizon and Redbox are a powerful entertainment team," said Bob Mudge, president of Verizon consumer and mass business markets. "Consumers rely on Redbox for the latest new release movies at a great value, and our joint venture with Verizon will enable us to bring them even more value by offering expanded content offerings and greater flexibility for how and when they enjoy entertainment," said Paul Davis, chief executive officer of Coinstar, Inc. "This alliance is the result of a deliberate and strategic process to identify a partner who shares our commitment to delivering innovative solutions to consumers. We look forward to rolling out the shared benefits this venture will bring to consumers, retailers, and shareholders." This venture between Verizon and Redbox will create the kind of national multi-platform product that customers are demanding from video entertainment service providers. It will leverage Verizon's industry-wide relationships with entertainment content providers, its advanced cloud computing technologies and state-of-the-art IP network infrastructure to distribute video on-demand content to its customers. "The joint venture will combine the accessibility and value of Redbox with Verizon's vision for a borderless lifestyle – where consumers easily accomplish what they want or need to do, on their terms, through the power of the network," said Mudge. "Together, we are erasing old technology boundaries, freeing people to spontaneously enjoy the entertainment they want, whenever they choose, using the devices and media they prefer, at home or away." By offering instantly available online and mobile content with immediate access to physical media through rental kiosks, Verizon and Redbox will be uniquely positioned to deliver the best of both worlds – digital and physical – to consumers across the country. The joint venture is a limited liability company with Verizon holding a 65 percent ownership share and Redbox holding a 35 percent ownership share at the outset. About Verizon Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ), headquartered in New York, is a global leader in delivering broadband and other wireless and wireline communications services to consumer, business, government and wholesale customers. Verizon Wireless operates America's most reliable wireless network, with nearly 109 million total connections nationwide. Verizon also provides converged communications, information and entertainment services over America's most advanced fiber-optic network, and delivers integrated business solutions to customers in more than 150 countries, including all of the Fortune 500. A Dow 30 company with $111 billion in 2011 revenues, Verizon employs a diverse workforce of nearly 194,000. For more information, visit www.verizon.com. About Redbox Redbox Automated Retail, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Coinstar, Inc. (Nasdaq: CSTR), offers new-release DVD, Blu-ray Disc^® and video game rentals through its network of conveniently located, self-service kiosks. Redbox has rented more than 1.5 billion discs and is available at more than 35,400 kiosks across over 29,000 locations nationwide, including select McDonald's restaurants, leading grocery, drug and convenience stores, select Walmart locations and Walgreens locations in select markets. For more information, visit www.redbox.com.

Motorola Releases Full 6.12.173 Update Changelog for DROID RAZR and RAZR MAXX

Kellen — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 11:39:05 +0000

Motorola has released its full changelog for the 6.12.173 update that will arrive on DROID RAZR and RAZR MAXX handsets in the coming days (soak test members only). This list differs slightly from the one that Verizon released a week ago, providing a few additional details into the new MotoCast, battery life increases, and camera enhancements. Seems odd that these two companies would produce such different lists or view pieces of the update as more important than others, but that's what we've got. The more details the better, right? And remember, you can manually upgrade to this software using our instructions if you are not interested in waiting for the update to become available. Full list below.

Software Update for the DROID RAZR and DROID RAZR MAXX by MOTOROLA
Introduction We are pleased to announce the new software update for DROID RAZR and DROID RAZR MAXX by MOTOROLA. The software update (Motorola Version.6.12.173.XT912.Verizon.en.US) includes numerous fixes and enhancements. For more information on Motorola updates and product support, visit us at http://www.motorola.com/mydroidrazr Who Can Use This Release ALL DROID RAZR and DROID RAZR MAXX by MOTOROLA users Enhancements and Fixes: MotoCast:

Added new auto-upload feature for sending pictures and videos back to your computer

Improved installation steps for easier use

Smart Actions:

Added new Smart Action triggers (docks and calendar events) and actions (VIP caller, auto text reply and voice announcement)

Enterprise:

Added new features (Password enabled Encryption Key Protection, Simplified Corporate Email Setup, Email sorting enhancements, Cisco and Juniper SSL VPN support)

Data:

Improved data throughput performance in low-signal 4G environments

Improved stability of data connectivity during after Airplane Mode is disabled

Battery:

Increased overall battery life

Improved battery life when using Phone Book Access Profile (PBAP) Bluetooth® enabled headsets

Camera:

Improvements in camera performance and user interface enhancements

Apps:

Updated VZ Navigator® with the latest 3D map improvements

Added V CAST App

Updated Google applications including new versions of Music and Talk, as well as added Google Videos

Visual Voicemail:

Resolved issues so messages can be marked as read

Improved message playback to resume when audio is switched to speaker

Updated to allow subscription or unsubscription while connected with Wi-Fi

Eliminated error associated with pressing back key after playback

Mobile Hotspot:

Improved security

Updated permissions to successfully allow other devices to connect to all Internet websites

User Interface:

Updated email icon for better visibility.

Included new icon graphics on the Homescreen and Application tray

Improved device stability when moving between home screen panels

Other:

Updated multimedia ringtones to permit saving

Updated favorite contacts widget

Resolved issue to correctly show the remaining download time when performing an Over The Air (OTA) update

Additional Information There is no charge for this upgrade other than the usual data connection charges. Subject to change without notice. If you have difficulty with this upgrade, visit us at http://www.motorola.com/mydroidrazr Certain features, services and applications are network dependent and may not be available in all areas; additional terms, conditions and/or charges may apply. Specific functionality and features with each software version of Android may vary. Contact your service provider for details. MOTOROLA and the Stylized M Logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Motorola Trademark Holdings, LLC. DROID is a trademark of Lucasfilm Ltd. and its related companies. Used under license. The Bluetooth trademarks are owned by their proprietor and used under license. Google is a trademark of Google, Inc. All other product and service names are the property of their respective owners. ©2012 Motorola Mobility Inc. All rights reserved.

Cheers Droidzilla!

Swype with Ice Cream Sandwich Support and Other "Goodies" is Only Days Away

Kellen — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 11:05:45 +0000

Well, the Swype team promised us ICS action at the end of January, but mid-February will have to do. According to their Twitter account, we are just "days away" from an update that brings with it Android 4.0 support and a number of other "goodies." Most of you have been enjoying Swype in a variety of colors on your Galaxy Nexus for weeks already, however, it appears as if many if not all of those files have been removed from the internet altogether. As much as we love Swype, they continue to be sticklers on the modification front. They do have IP to protect, but if they would just give us the ability to theme in a new update, the Swype Black Market would come to a screeching halt. Ready for official ICS-supported Swype? Via: Twitter

Facebook to Introduce Mobile Ads in March, Tapping Into New Revenue Stream

Kellen — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 10:43:56 +0000

According to the Financial Times, Facebook will begin showing advertising to mobile devices in March as a way to tap into a new revenue stream. The wording on this new news indicates that ads may not be your typical bottom or top locked banner, but may instead be worked in as a "featured story" through your feed. So rather than just seeing your friends' ~~life story spamming that no one cares about~~ posts, you may also see something labeled "featured" that would essentially be an ad. We aren't sure if this will also apply to the Facebook Android app, but you can imagine that it will at some point. Via: Reuters

Corning's "A Day Made of Glass 2" Will Blow Your Mind, Again.

Kellen — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 09:53:22 +0000

Arguably the coolest video of 2011 was Corning's "A Day Made of Glass." It racked up over 17 million views and gave us a look into a future that includes nothing but touchable surfaces, almost Minority Report style. It could be years and years before we see anything close to a world like this, but after watching this new version, you will again wish that it was happening now. Fully touch-capable walls that can share in real time with tablets and are interactive? Yes, please. Changing the theme of your car through a tablet and a swipe? Mmmhmm. How about live augmented reality video using a tablet in something like a state park? Corning believes in it. "A Day Made of Glass 2": [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZkHpNnXLB0[/youtube] Story behind Corning's vision: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-GXO_urMow[/youtube] The original "A Day Made of Glass": [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Cf7IL_eZ38[/youtube] Via: Pocket-Lint

How to: Root Android 4.0.4 on the Galaxy Nexus

Kellen — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 09:29:05 +0000

This weekend's Android 4.0.4 update for the Galaxy Nexus was a welcomed surprise, except for the fact that many of you had issues regaining root afterwards. Thankfully, we have amazing developers (adrynalyne specifically) that produced a new su.zip that can be flashed to give you root in no time. If you updated to 4.0.4 and have been banging your head against the wall trying to get root back, head past the break for instructions. Instructions: 1. Download this su.zip to your internal storage. 2. Download Clockwork Recovery and place in in your SDk/Tools or Platform-Tools folder. 3. From you Tools or Platform-Tools folder, open a command prompt.

*Wherever your adb.exe and fastboot.exe files are.

4. Type the following commands:

adb reboot bootloader --wait for your phone to boot to the bootloader fastboot flash recovery recovery-clockwork-5.5.0.4-toro.img --wait until the command prompt tells you it has finished

5. On your phone, scroll down to "Recovery Mode" and press the power button. 6. Your phone should boot into Clockwork Recovery. 7. Select "install zip from sdcard." 8. Find the su.zip file that you downloaded earlier. Choose it and flash it. 9. Reboot your phone and you should now be rooted. Enjoy!

First Batch of Android 4.0.4 ROMs for the Galaxy Nexus Appear

Kellen — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 09:05:18 +0000

Not that we are surprised by this since the Nexus developer community has been pedal-to-the-metal since day one, but we wanted to be sure that you all realized that 4.0.4 ROMs are already available. If you have yet to update, feel free to grab one of the releases we listed below. You have a CM9 Kang that keeps getting better by the minute, followed by two completely stock ROMS - 1 that is only rooted and another that has been deodexed, includes busybox, etc. Links: CM9 Kang | Stock Rooted | Stock Rooted Deodexed Cheers Jeff and Kris!

Thoughts on Samsung's Super Bowl XLVI Galaxy Note Commercial? Too Much or Hilarious?

Kellen — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 08:24:34 +0000

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CgfknZidYq0[/youtube]

Samsung's 90 second spot for the Galaxy Note dropped some time around the beginning of the 4th quarter during yesterday's Super Bowl, and boy was it somethin'. I've watched it a number of times now, yet still can't decide if it was 100% win and hilarious, so over-the-top that it may have scared Android enthusiasts, or simply forgettable. It was so different from their subtle jabs at iPhone lines in previous spots that had a certain witty brilliance. I get that it's the Super Bowl and things are supposed to be big and boisterous, I'm just wondering if it was a little much? Your thoughts?

Rumor: 7mm Thick Samsung Galaxy SIII May Launch in May

Kellen — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 08:06:30 +0000

Another week and another Samsung Galaxy SIII rumored launch date to add to the growing list. This week it comes out of Korean news site Electronics Times News who claims that the device will be roughly 7mm thick, launching some time in May. Now, we have seen reports that suggest March, April, and July, so why not put May into play? After hearing from Samsung that they will not unveil the device at the end of this month at MWC and will instead throw a special Samsung event, these later dates sound like much more of a reality. Aside from the device being ultra-slim, ETNews also mentioned that the phone should run Ice Cream Sandwich, contain "high quality cameras" and have 3D capabilities. Anything else you would love to see in the Galaxy SIII? HD Super AMOLED Plus screen? Via: ETNews, BGR

Android 4.0.5 Coming to Galaxy Nexus in March According to French Mobile Site SFR

Kellen — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 07:38:27 +0000

We are barely settling into Android 4.0.4 on the Galaxy Nexus (unofficially of course) and French mobile site SFR is reporting that Android 4.0.5 will be out in March. Do we believe them? Eh, maybe. It's tough to tell with these Euro mobile sites if their information is on point or not. Since this looks to be a retailer, you would think that they would have some sort of an idea as to when their phones will be updated, but again, you just never know. If we see this info disappear into the internet's abyss within the next couple of hours, you can maybe put a little bit of money on it. Via: SFR, reddit

New DROID Bionic Soak Test on the Horizon, Ice Cream Sandwich or Just Another Bug Fixer?

Kellen — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 14:32:02 +0000

Motorola is prepping a new "soak test" for the DROID Bionic, but it's anyone's guess as to what it may include. Everyone will likely assume that it is Ice Cream Sandwich, however, I would almost bet that the DROID RAZR will see Android 4.0 before any other Moto device. There is a good chance that this update is 5.9.902 that we received information about back in mid-January. You can see the changelog for it here. Cheers J, D, D, J, and K!

Super Bowl Sunday Poll: Giants or Pats?

Kellen — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 10:43:03 +0000

Ahh yes, it is that time of the year where millions and millions of people sit down in front of their TVs to watch commercials. It's Super Bowl Sunday, in case you were wondering. But as you all know, it's not all about watching Motorola's awful Apple-bashing commercials, it's also about the game itself. And while most of us on the west coast could care less who wins, we know that the north eastern corner of the country has been talking trash for 2 weeks now. Football fan or not, this should be a heck of a game. Who you got? [poll id="131"]

Galaxy Nexus Android 4.0.4 Build IMM30B Released, Get Your Update on Early

Kellen — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 17:33:52 +0000

Folks with a Galaxy Nexus, a treat popped up for you online today. Android 4.0.4 is now in the wild and available for you to install via custom recovery. The new build is IMM30B and like I said, brings you to 4.0.4 rather than the 4.0.3 that many were hoping for. There is no official changelog, but this appears to update the radios and bootloader at the very minimum. Funny thing is, I now get 3 bars of 4G LTE at my house, a place that I used to get just 1 or 2 bars. I'd say that bar calculation that Verizon had mentioned is included. Will be digging into it throughout the night to see what else has changed - for now, get to flashing. Download Link [mirror] [Google Link] Instructions:

*These instructions use Clockwork Recovery. *Reminder: If you would like to keep root, feel free to try Voodoo RootKeeper before updating.

1. You will need to be running stock Android 4.0.2 (ICL53F) in order to update to this.

*You will likely have to have stock radios, bootloader, and have made no system changes as well. If you need to flash those, you can get them from our Galaxy Nexus guide.

2. Download the file from above and rename to update.zip. 3. Reboot into Clockwork Recovery. 4. Choose "install zip from sdcard" and then find the file and select it. 5. Let it flash, reboot and enjoy 4.0.4.

*Note - Rooting instructions here.

And if someone has instructions for updating without using CWM, please let us know. I was unsuccessful in my attempts. Via: XDA, AC Forums Cheers gerry, Jamie and everyone else!

Saturday Poll: Does Your Galaxy Nexus Microphone Cut Out During Calls?

Kellen — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 11:08:03 +0000

All the way back during week one of our time with the Galaxy Nexus. emails started trickling in from users who were dealing with a microphone muting issue while on calls. We have yet to run into the issue ourselves, but it's clear if you browse any tech forum on the internet that this is a problem for a number of owners. Verizon appears hesitant to admit that it's a serious problem, so we thought we would run a poll to see how many of you are being affected by it. No better way to let them know that with some numbers, right? What exactly is happening? While taking incoming calls or making outgoing calls, the microphone on the device will cut out so that the person on the other end of the line can no longer hear a thing which obviously leads to them hanging up. Toggling mute on or off, switching to speakerphone, swapping devices, activating new SIM cards, etc. are not helping the situation. It's pretty obvious that this is a software bug that simply needs to be addressed in the next update. The problem is, that this started happening to users back in December and we are now almost a week into February without a fix. We still have no word on when the big Android 4.0.3 (or is it 4.0.4 now?) update will be out. [poll id="130"] Cheers Matt and everyone else!

Staples Gives Us Their Take on Tablet Data [Infographic]

Kellen — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 10:54:42 +0000

A little tablet data to take you into the weekend? And I don't know why, but I find it shocking that the average tablet user manages to spend 90 minutes per day on one. I also think people lied about using them in the bathroom. Name me a better bathroom buddy than a massive 10" slab? Via: Staples Cheers Kris!

MOTOACTV Receives Update - Includes Better Battery Life, Battery Percentage Status Bar, and Locking Abilities

Kellen — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:51:02 +0000

Just finished off a Friday night run, plugged in my MOTOACTV and sure enough, it prompted me to update. It updated to version 4.55.97, but depending on the model you have, you may receive a slightly different build (4.56.97 / 4.57.97 /4.58.97 are the others). All of them should include the exact same enhancements though, including better battery life, a new status bar, and the ability to lock the screen during workouts. Full break down is after the break.

Longer Battery Life MOTOACTV’s indoor/outdoor battery life is now better than ever before with up to 9 hours of uninterrupted workout time outdoors. Battery Status Bar Now you can now see how long your battery will last via the handy Status Bar. Just monitor your percentage and make the most of your workout time! Workout Screen Lock Ever activate your Workout Screen through accidental contact? Problem solved. Now you can lock it to prevent unwanted display activation. Just Double Press the Power key to lock and unlock your workout screen. Enhanced Auto-Pause and Auto-Run Now you can take a break from the action and pause your workout manually, even if Auto-Pause is enabled. You can also choose between indoor/outdoor Auto-Run options. Repeat a Planned Workout You’re now free to repeat a planned workout even if it had been previously started. Additional Enhancements Include:

WAHOO BLE HRM Strap support has been added.

Enhanced syncing planned interval workouts to MOTOACTV.com.

Workout metrics have been reordered for easier searching.

Improved WiFi syncing when multiple networks are configured.

Optimized list of workout metrics so you can search for your favorites easier.

Pressing the BACK key on any Home screen brings up the watch face.

Full release notes.

This Week In The Life Of DROID: 2/3/2012

Tim — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:15:30 +0000

It's been a busy week for Android enthusiasts. After a scare from Google and Verizon, we can rest better this weekend knowing that our Galaxy Nexus devices will continue to be supported by Google. We had updates leak for the DROID RAZR and even got pricing confirmation for the upcoming DROID 4. Here are the highlights:

Have a wonderful and safe weekend!

Custom ROM Friday: Builds For Galaxy Nexus, DROID 3, And HTC Rezound

Tim — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:45:03 +0000

After last week's return of Custom ROM Friday, we could see that folks sure did miss it. So this week, we bring you a few ROMs that should tie you over until next week. First up, we have GummyNex 0.7.0 by developer Kejar31 and Syaoran12. If you have been flashing ROMs on the Galaxy Nexus, then we are sure you have come across this name at least a few times. It brings the speed, customizations, and stability that people look for in daily drivers. With too many features to actually list out, we will try and pin point a few of the big ones: Kernel capable of being clocked to 1350MHz, soft key modifier, changeable lockscreen, and so much more.

Instructions:

Download GummyNex 0.7.0 zip and Gapps zip. (Place both on your phone’s storage.)
Create NANDROID backup.
Reboot into ClockworkMod Recovery and wipe data/cache.
Install the GummyNex 0.7.0 zip.
Once finished installing, then install Gapps zip.
Reboot.
After you have finished all of those steps, you’re ready to party.

If anyone happens upon some issues, just shoot your questions don below and we will try our best to help out.

Other Devices:

For those of you who do not own the Galaxy Nexus, we have love for you too. Down below we will try to feature ROMs for other devices as well that we have received word on over the last few weeks.

DROID 3: First off is Maverick ROM from developer pedwards3x. It is one of the most fully themed ROMs for the D3 we have seen and has a complete list of features that are sure to blow our Blur fans away. Info on flashing and downloads can be found here.

HTC Rezound: Owners of the HTC Rezound may be wanting to give some Vanilla Android a shot. A developer by the name of scrosler has been able to bring Ice Cream Sandwich and all of its sweetness to the device in his beta release of SenselessROM 2.0. For downloads and instructions on flashing, follow this link to the Developer's posting.

Port Your Android App To BlackBerry App World, Receive Free PlayBook

Tim — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:20:02 +0000

Calling all Android developers. RIM is on the hunt for developers to bring their Android apps over to the BlackBerry App World. In doing so, developers who qualify will be given a free BlackBerry PlayBook. Neat, right? RIM in all of their wisdom, has made it incredibly easy for devs to simply port their Android apps over with just a few clicks of the mouse. The PlayBook may not be the greatest tablet on the market, but free is free. If you happen to develop, then go get your free PlayBook! You can find all the necessary tools right here at RIM's site. Via: Android and Me

True 4G Future Gets Closer, Qualcomm Successfully Completes VoIP LTE To WCDMA Tests

Eric — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 14:40:58 +0000

By now, we all know and love our 4G LTE network that the various carriers are providing for us. Still even now though, LTE is not used for any voice duties, only data. Verizon specifically uses 3G or CDMA for any voice calls, but thanks to a new test by a Qualcomm chip, the MSM8960 Snapdragon S4, full LTE use is in sight.

This new chipset allows for a single radio to handle the LTE/CDMA handoff seamlessly. This means there doesn't need to be two separate radios for data and voice. What does this mean for the consumers? Smaller phones and better battery life without the need for multiple radios. When VoLTE (voice over LTE) becomes more commercially focused these chips will be invaluable to our phones.

Via: Engadget

Google Issues Statement Regarding CDMA Nexus Devices

Kellen — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 14:21:36 +0000

We reached out to Google to see if we could get some clarification or reasoning as to why CDMA devices would no longer be "supported" as developer devices and they responded. Dan Morril, an Android engineer who you may be familiar with, provided an explanation at this Google Group's page:

Hello! This is a quick clarification about support for CDMA devices. For various technical reasons, recent CDMA Android devices implement core telephony functionality in .apk files provided in binary form by the carriers. To function correctly, these .apk files must be signed by the so-called "platform" key. However, when an individual creates a custom build from the AOSP source code, they don't use the same signing key as these CDMA flies were signed with. The result is that these files don't work properly, and pure AOSP builds running on these devices can't place calls, access mobile data, and so on. Because we aim to make sure that we are as clear as possible about the degree of support that devices have, we updated the docs over at source.android.com to reflect this reality. We will still make available as many as possible of the closed-source binaries for these devices, and Nexus devices will continue to have unlockable bootloaders. And, of course, GSM/HSPA+ devices are still supported, as are any other devices we're able to support. We've simply updated the documentation to be clearer about the current extent of CDMA support. We are of course always working to improve support, and we'll keep everyone updated as we make improvements. Thanks as always for your interest in AOSP!

So basically, CDMA is not widely supported as we mentioned earlier and is also simply a pain in the ass. From what we have been told though, the Galaxy Nexus on Verizon is still a "Nexus" and will continue to be updated in a timely manner, but Google is simply making it clear that a device running a CDMA radio cannot be officially "supported" since its files are signed differently from AOSP code. If that makes any sense. And devs in the building, please feel free to clarify that further.

Clove UK Completely Ends Sales Of Asus Transformer Prime Due To Quality Issues

Tim — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 13:10:45 +0000

We have heard that the Transformer Prime has had its problems. People have been disappointed over things like faulty GPS, weak WiFi and other assorted issues. Well apparently, all these issues have become too much for UK mobile device retailer, Clove to deal with. Clove UK has now pulled the device from their inventory and have issued this statement concerning the stoppage of sales:

We are at this time not satisfied that all units we could provide you with are working correctly, and performing to the standard we expect of the unit. We have therefore taken the decision until further notice stop selling the Asus Transformer Prime.

Them is fighting words. Weirdly enough, Asus has yet to come forward and speak of the Prime's downfalls and continues to assure consumers that there are no issues with their products. All orders of the Prime through Clove will now be cancelled and buyer's money will be returned. We know that some of you here are Prime owners. Are any of you having these issues? Are they completely unbearable? Let us know. Via: Droid Dog

Google No Longer "Supports" the LTE/CDMA Verizon Galaxy Nexus? (Updated)

Kellen — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 12:31:49 +0000

Update: So rather than make you read through this long drawn out mess, we decided to post a summary to get you up to speed since a number of folks are still coming to this specific post. This afternoon, a reader of ours noticed that the Android Developer pages were updated to show that they no longer support CDMA devices. Without any word from Google on these changes, we started asking important questions and posted this story since that affects the LTE Galaxy Nexus, XOOM LTE and Nexus S 4G. Could this change the way updates are issued? What about factory images? What does it mean to no longer be "supported?" All questions that we feel we deserved answers to. Once enough of a stir was caused, a statement was issued by an Android engineer. Basically where we stand now, is that according to Google's standards for AOSP, CDMA devices cannot be officially "supported." It's an odd situation and one that even some of our readers who create their own AOSP ROMs are having a hard time wrapping their brains around. Thankfully Google has assured us that the LTE Galaxy Nexus and all other "Nexus" devices will still receive timely updates, remain unlocked, etc. You can read their full statement here.

__________________________________________________

Wow, so I'm not really sure where to start with this head-scratch-worthy news. Thanks to a reader, we have now realized that the LTE/CDMA version of the Galaxy Nexus that thousands of you purchased, may no longer be considered a "supported" developer device by Google. You will notice in the screenshot above that the device "toro" - which was the codename for the device - has been removed from the list of supported devices. There is also a note above that which reads "No CDMA devices are supported." Not sure it could be any clearer than that. Update: As some have pointed out, the "crespo4g" has also been removed which is the Nexus S 4G with Sprint (another CDMA device). Update 2: "stingray" is also gone - that would be the LTE/CDMA Motorola XOOM. But to make matters even more interesting, we dug a little deeper into a cached page from January 28 that clearly shows "toro" as still being a part of their plans. It also included special CDMA radio instructions for developers which have now been removed. Picture below.

And just in case you needed even more proof, here is the factory image site which says that the LTE Nexus builds are there for "reference only." We also pulled the cached page of it from January 28 which of course, does not mention "reference only" anywhere:

Why would this happen and what exactly does it mean? Only the Android team, Google and ~~Verizon~~ (probably just those two since it's all CDMA devices) know for sure. Could it have anything to do with the Google Wallet situation? We know that the app was updated and made available to basically all Nexus devices within the last couple of days, but not the Verizon version. Maybe there was a breakdown in negotiations which took the phone out of their "Nexus" title requirements. Seems doubtful. Then what could it be? I think one thing we all want to know is how this impacts updates in the future. One of the main reasons we purchased this phone was to be at the front of the line when it came to new OS deliveries. Will this impact that? Will we still see factory images after major releases? What else changes? Would love some further explanation from not only devs, but maybe even the Android team on how this status impacts CDMA phones going forward. Why would CDMA not be supported at all? Because it's a dying technology and its reach is limited? GSM is clearly a more global option. Update 3: As our friends at Phandroid have pointed out, this could be Google's way of streamlining their "supported" devices. GSM is a more widely adopted option across the global, so limiting their official support to those phones probably makes more sense. This more than likely has nothing to do with updates or anything that should completely ruin your day.

Update 4: Google has issued a statement. It definitely has to do with CDMA tech and its conflicts with AOSP code.

Hopefully we will have some answers soon. Try to stay calm, for now. Links: Developer Devices Page | Cached Version from January 28 | Factory Image Page Cheers Adam!

U.S. Government Chooses Android For Its Openness, Can Update Phones in 2 Weeks

Kellen — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 12:08:15 +0000

The U.S. government has been testing Android phones for a couple of years now, but they expect to deliver them to soliders in 2012 according to a report from CNN. Up until this point, government officials and military personnel were not allowed to use smartphones for work-related activities, but with the ability to customize the operating system to their liking thanks to Android's openness, things are about to change. The project to get smartphones and tablets running Android into the hands of our soldiers has finally been given the green light. For now, the devices are only capable of storing classified info, but within a few months, they should be able to transmit it over networks as well. One of the surprising notes from this report has to do with the types of phones they will use. According to people familiar with the project, the government will not build specially designed hardware and will instead use commercial devices and then simply load them with an ultra-secure version of Android. With a secure Android smartphone, a soldier could potentially see fellow infantry on a digital map in the field, or an official could send an important dispatch from from anywhere without fear of security breaches. Why not go with iOS devices? Because Apple refused to give the government access to their source code. And since Android is as open as it gets for a mobile OS, the choice was clear. We also found it interesting that one of the contractors mentioned how quickly they could update their phones thanks to the OS they are running. He mentioned that once Google has released source for their latest update, that they can have a secure version up and running on phones within 2 weeks. Yeah, we're looking at you now, carriers. Via: CNN Cheers Greg and Daniel!

Newer DROID RAZR 6.12.174 Update Pulled and Available for Use, Fixes Search Key Force Close

Tim — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 11:26:04 +0000

Another leaked build has been released for the DROID RAZR. Do know, that after flashing this you will not be able to return to the official OTA and this might take you off the correct update path Motorola and Verizon has planned for consumers. You flash these at your own risk. In order to return back to stock, you will need to use RSD and fastboot. If you don't know these terms, then we suggest going no further. So now that we have the scary stuff out of the way, this is build version 6.12.174.xt912. According to the source, this could just be a small 'emergency update' to fix a force close bug when hitting the hard search key while in the app drawer. The radio has also received a minor update, but no word on what the update actually contains. After flashing this, you will still be running 2.3.6 and everything else should remain the same. Instructions (simple version):

*You do not need to be rooted to flash this file. *You need to be running 6.12.173.XT912. That is mandatory.

1. Download this file to your SD card (not internal storage).

*You want the file located in /mnt/sdcard-ext

2. Power down your phone. 3. Reboot into recovery by holding both Volume Up and Down and Power at the same time. 4. When the first menu appears, choose “recovery.”

*Scroll using Volume Down. Select “recovery” with Volume Up.

5. When the exclamation and Android logo appear, press both volumes at the same time. 6. Select “apply update from sdcard.” Scroll with Volume Down, select with Power switch. 7. Select the file “Blur_Version.6.12.173.XT912.Verizon.en.US(Update%20to%206.12.174).zip” to flash. 8. Watch your phone update itself! And trust me, it could take a while. 9. When it finishes, choose “reboot system now.” 10. Enjoy your updated phone! Via: DroidRzr

In-store Costco Deal for Galaxy Nexus is Better Than We Thought, Still Includes Free Extended Battery

Kellen — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:47:00 +0000

The Galaxy Nexus online deal from Costco that we posted up yesterday is even better if you take it into a store from today through the 7th. Purchasing the phone in person at Costco will run you $219 thanks to a bonus $20 discount, plus they will also toss in the free extended battery. You will still have to mail off for the "bonus accessories," but you won't mind if it gets you a $60 battery, right? Cheers ___!

Motorola Failed to Fully Wipe Batch of Refurbished XOOMs in 2011, User Data Potentially in the Wild

Kellen — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 09:58:14 +0000

If you purchased and then returned a Motorola XOOM WiFi any time between March and October of 2011, there is a chance that your unit was not fully refurbished properly and then sold again between October and December 2011 on Woot.com. That means that some of your personal information including pictures, documents, usernames or passwords could have been left on your returned device and then sold again to someone as a refurbished unit. Motorola released a statement moments ago to address the situation. They are offering potentially affected customers a free 2-year Experian ProtectMyID Alert subscription just to be safe. So if you returned a WiFi XOOM to Amazon.com, Best Buy, BJ’s Wholesale, eBay, Office Max, Radio Shack, Sam’s Club, or Staples during that March to October stretch, you will need to contact Experian to get setup with this service. More details after the break.

Motorola Mobility Notifies Certain Purchasers of Refurbished Motorola XOOM™ Wi-Fi Tablets of Refurbishment Process Error
Feb. 03, 2012 LIBERTYVILLE, Ill. – Feb. 3, 2012 - Motorola Mobility, Inc. today announced that it has recently learned that approximately 100 out of a batch of 6,200 Motorola XOOM™ Wi-Fi tablets that were refurbished by Motorola Mobility may not have been completely cleared of the original owner’s data prior to resale. The affected tablets were resold by Woot.com between October and December 2011. While this matter likely affects only a small number of refurbished units, Motorola has a strong commitment to its consumers, and is proactively responding to mitigate any risk to its customers. Motorola has confirmed that any refurbished units sold outside the time period in question were properly refurbished. The information that may be accessible to the purchasers of the impacted refurbished tablets may include any information that the original user elected to store on the tablet. It is possible that users might have stored photographs and documents. They may have also stored user names and passwords for email and social media accounts, as well as other password-protected sites and applications. Motorola is offering customers who purchased and then returned a Motorola XOOM Wi-Fi tablet to Amazon.com, Best Buy, BJ’s Wholesale, eBay, Office Max, Radio Shack, Sam’s Club, or Staples and a few other independent retailers between March and October 2011 a complimentary two-year membership of Experian’s ProtectMyID™ Alert to mitigate any risks. Original owners are advised to contact Experian at 1-866-926-9803 to sign up for the credit monitoring service. These original owners are also advised to take precautionary measures to protect their identity, such as changing their email and social media passwords. Original owners who performed a factory data reset prior to returning the device are not impacted. In conjunction with today’s announcement, Motorola is also actively pursuing the return of the impacted refurbished units to ensure that the memory of each device is cleared. Customers who purchased a refurbished Motorola XOOM Wi-Fi tablet from Woot.com between October and December 2011 are encouraged to visit motorola.com/xoomreturn or to call Motorola Mobility Customer Support at 1-800-734-5870, select Option 1, in order to determine if their tablet is affected. Motorola sincerely regrets and apologizes for any inconvenience this situation has caused the affected customers. Motorola is committed to rigorous data protection practices in order to protect its customers, and will continue to take the necessary steps to achieve this objective. About Motorola Mobility Motorola Mobility, Inc. (NYSE:MMI) fuses innovative technology with human insights to create experiences that simplify, connect and enrich people's lives. Our portfolio includes converged mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets; wireless accessories; end-to-end video and data delivery; and management solutions, including set-tops and data-access devices. For more information, visit motorola.com/mobility.

How to: Install All Carrier-Blocked Apps from the Android Market

Kellen — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 09:40:10 +0000

One of our readers discovered yesterday that through a loophole in the Android Market and browser, you could install Google Wallet. After the community got a hold of this method, they quickly realized that this not only works for Wallet, but just about any app that a carrier has blocked from your phone. As you can see in the screenshot above, I was able to download and install both Google's Car Home app and Wireless Tether. There is a good chance that this will be patched before too long, so for now, feel free to load up just about any app that you would like. For the most part, this will get you into just about any tethering app you want, but there are bound to be other hidden options. In the comments, feel free to drop as many that you can think of to help out the rest of the community. Instructions:

*Tip: You may want to clear data and defaults on browser and Market before doing this.

1. From your phone open the browser and head to http://market.android.com. 2. Search for “Google Wallet.”

*If your browser prompts you to open the Market, don’t. Just stay in the browser.

3. When the results come back, tap on the Google Wallet icon. 4. Tap the “Install” button from within the browser and then sign into your Google account.

*Again, this is all from the browser, not the Market app.

5. Once you have signed in, you should be redirected back to the Market page in the browser. 6. Obviously, you will not have the option to install there since the VZW Nexus is not supported. 7. Tap the back button until you are prompted for the Market or Browser again, this time choosing the Market. 8. The Android Market should open to the Google Wallet page with an option to install. Video: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jI-f2T4cCWI[/youtube] Cheers Jigga_z and everyone else!

Motorola Wins Permanent Injunction Against Apple in Germany - Products Pulled Initially, Have Now Returned at Possible Licensing Deal

Kellen — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 09:08:13 +0000

Motorola won a pretty significant patent battle with Apple today in German courts. The initial "permanent injunction" forced the Cupertino giant to remove most of its products from its German-based online store including the iPhone 3G, the iPhone 3GS, and the iPhone 4 as well as any 3G-enabled iPads. The patent in question had to do with a "multiple pager status synchronization system and method" which Apple uses in its iCloud product. As you can see, that's a big deal. After all that went down early this morning and products were pulled, news is starting to spread that Apple has apparently put up a big enough chunk of change to license the patent from Motorola. Well, has potentially. The ban has been lifted and that's the only guess that anyone has as to why it would be removed so quickly. It's not clear what that amount was, especially after an Apple spokesperson took a shot at Moto for refusing "to license this patent to Apple on reasonable terms." This is a developing story, indeed. Via: FOSS Patents, (2), BBC, Engadget Cheers Mclovin, Brian and Ben!

New Dropbox Beta Released - Instant Camera Upload Feature, Free 500MB of Extra Space, and No More File Size Limits

Kellen — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 08:39:54 +0000

The Dropbox team released a new beta version of their Android app last night, bringing with it a handful of features that you will enjoy. The first and most important is the instant uploading of camera photos. You can set the app up to either upload everything you have taken in the past or just the new stuff going forward. Once you upload your first camera shot though, they'll tack on another 500MB of storage to your account. They also removed the file limit size for uploads, opening your Dropbox world to all sorts of new possibilities. The rest of the changes:

Automatically uploads photos and videos in the background using Wi-Fi or data plan
500MB of free space on first photo uploaded automatically
Upload files of any size (no more 180 MB limit!)
Support for resuming file uploads when there are network issues
Various performance improvements & bug fixes

Download Link Via: Google+, Dropbox

Study: iOS Apps Crashing at a Greater Rate than Android Apps

Kellen — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 08:01:25 +0000

According to a new mobile app monitoring startup called Crittercism, iOS apps are crashing at a greater rate than your favorite Android apps. For a 2 month period, a ton of data was compiled and broken down by OS version and in some cases by app, and then into quartiles to give a better representation of the crashes. In the end, there was a clear winner (if you want to call it that), but some of the reasoning for this result is what we need to talk about. Now, not to bring up that whole ridiculous "fragmentation" argument for the 1,010th time, but just take a quick glance at the chart above. As you can see, Android is not the only leading mobile OS on the planet that has its fair share of older builds floating around on devices. In fact, through this study, Crittercism discovered that there were at least 23 different versions of iOS and 33 of Android. The second note that was discussed was the reasoning behind these crash rates, that seem to get higher as you get to a higher OS build. The obvious reaction is to assume that because the majority of people run the newest OS that the rate would have to be higher. This study doesn't ignore that idea, but they also want to toss out the fact that many of the apps we use on a daily basis are simply not updated to be compatible with new releases. I would tend to agree that that is probably issue #1. How often do you find yourself on your Galaxy Nexus asking, "When is going to get Ice Cream Sandwich support?" Lastly, the overall numbers that were presented are nothing for anyone to be overly concerned about. Sure, we can brag it up for the next few hours to our iOS counterparts about how their apps are less stable, but the truth is that apps on both platforms are crashing at less than a 1% rate. We aren't talking about apps crashing 10-20% of the time or anything here. Both operating systems are stable, Android just happens to be slightly more stable. +1 Android! (Sorry, had to.) Via: Forbes

Video: Installing Google Wallet From the Market on the Verizon LTE Galaxy Nexus

Kellen — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 20:25:28 +0000

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jI-f2T4cCWI[/youtube]

Our instructions for installing Google Wallet to your Verizon Galaxy Nexus were giving people enough trouble earlier that one of our readers made a quick video to help everyone out. He went with the lengthy version that the majority of folks have had luck with. Hopefully this helps and gets you all on the official market version of Wallet. Step-by-step written instructions here. *Note - This method will apparently work on almost any app that Verizon has decided to have blocked from the market. Huge cheers to Joey!

Verizon Wireless Leads Industry in Customer Care According to J.D. Power and Associates

Kellen — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 17:30:26 +0000

For the 2nd straight J.D. Power and Associates study, Verizon Wireless has taken the crown for best in the industry when it comes to customer care. Their score of 762 was 10 points higher than the overall industry average which is based on feedback gathered from customers who recently contacted carriers in a service capacity. Congrats, Big Red. Now, we ask you, the readers of Droid Life who are for the most part, die-hard VZW customers. How would you rank their service?

Verizon Wireless Customer Care Leads Industry In Latest J.D. Power And Associates Study
Wireless customers across the country have spoken. According to the newest J.D. Power and Associates study, Verizon Wireless offers the greatest customer care among full service providers in the industry. Today, J.D. Power and Associates announced the results of its 2012 Wireless Customer Care Full Service Study℠ – Volume 1, and Verizon Wireless once again ranked highest in customer care among the national full service wireless providers. Verizon Wireless outperformed the competition and emerged as an industry leader for the second consecutive study (the last study was issued in July 2011: see results here). In the most recent study, Verizon Wireless received a score of 762, 10 index points above the overall industry average. Speaking of the award, John Bianchi, vice president, customer service operations, said, “Our goal is to provide an outstanding overall customer experience, and we’re thrilled that our customers have once again rated Verizon Wireless' customer care the greatest among national U.S. wireless companies. We prize the industry-leading loyalty of our customers and will continue to develop our people and technology to serve our customers better and make it simpler for them to manage their wireless lives.” These results are based on feedback gathered from wireless customers who recently contacted their wireless service providers by phone, in stores or online. Interviews were conducted by J. D. Power and Associates between July and December 2011.

Windows Phone 7.5 - How Does it Compare to Android? [Opinion]

Ron — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:55:58 +0000

For the past week I've been reviewing the Samsung Focus S. I believe that competition drives innovation, so I love spending time with multiple devices and operating systems to see what works well and what doesn't. I think most of us have spent some quality time with an iOS device and are aware of the competition it presents, but I'm guessing that most of us haven't played with Windows Phone very much. So how does Windows Phone 7 stack up against Android?

Lock Screen One of the most important things on a modern smartphone is the lock screen. I think this is one of the areas that Microsoft did really well. As you can see in the image above (the quality won't be the best because WP7 doesn't have an easy way to take screen shots), the lock screen gives the usual information at the top of the display (connectivity, battery), the time and date, and my next appointment. To unlock the device, you slide the lock screen upwards. The lock screen is simple, yet elegant.

Start Screen The Start Screen is where the simplicity of Windows Phone really shines. If you use Launcher 7 then you should be fairly familiar with the appeal to Windows Phone's Metro UI. Rather than have pages of widgets and app icons, Windows Phone highlights important applications and information through Live Tiles. The point of these Live Tiles is to give users quick information or to jump into an app's feature or content more quickly. The calendar tile launches the app, shows me the date, and shows me an upcoming appointment. Another feature is pinning an album or a contact to Start for easy access. Sliding the start screen to the left reveals a list of ~~all~~ most of the apps installed on the device.

Multi-Tasking Windows Phone 7.5 introduced multi-tasking to the platform, though the implementation of multi-tasking is one of the worst I've seen on a modern smartphone. To access multi-tasking, you hold down the back button. At first I thought this was a strange implementation, but holding back to return to an app makes sense. What doesn't make sense, however, is the limit to only six applications being stored for multi-tasking. Perhaps the most frustrating part of this limitation is that often times applications are duplicated in the list, as can be seen in the photo above (Internet Explorer is the middle and left option). To make matters worse, the only way to jump back into an application from where you left off is to use the back button. Opening the app from its Start icon re-launches the app, even if it's been cached in multi-tasking. This needs to be improved upon greatly if Microsoft wants to compete with Android and iOS.

Applications The selection of applications available for Windows Phone 7 is sparse at best. Though the Marketplace has 50,000 applications, many big name developers and apps are missing. Even the apps that are present often lack major features that are present in their Android and iOS counterparts. Twitter, for example, lacks push notifications (and good luck finding a third party app that compares to third party apps for Android). The YouTube app is just a shortcut to Internet Explorer. Many major apps like Facebook and last.fm were developed by Microsoft, demonstrating a lack of developer support for the platform. If Microsoft wants to succeed, they need to start pushing more of their cash in front of developers.

Gaming Gaming is even more of a joke. Light games like Angry Birds and Fruit Ninja are available for $2.99 and more graphically intense games like Assassin's Creed ($4.99) Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Episode 1 ($6.99) are available. It's a bit strange to me that these games are all more expensive than their Android and iOS counterparts. Perhaps the higher costs are developers' way to make up for the low market share of Windows Phone. Another annoyance is how gaming is organized. Instead of listing your games along with other apps from the Start screen, games are collected in the Games hub. They can be pinned to the Start screen, but it's still a sloppy implementation.

Productivity Windows Phone comes with Microsoft Office built in. The Office apps work well for editing documents and spreadsheets and viewing documents, spreadsheets, and presentations. OneNote, Microsoft's premier note taking application, is also built in. The editor is very basic and you're limited to local storage, Office 365, SharePoint, or SkyDrive to store files. Email offers a decent experience with support for Exchange (shocking!), IMAP, and POP accounts. Surprisingly, Gmail is well integrated. Unlike iOS devices, selecting Gmail when setting up email will set up sync with email, contacts, and calendars (this can be done with iOS, but only by setting up Gmail as an Exchange account). That said, the application uses especially large fonts when viewing messages, making the browsing experience sub par (the relatively low resolution of Windows Phone devices may be influential as well). Other productivity apps like Calendar and Messaging continue the same Metro trends of clean text and hyper-simplistic graphics. The Calendar application is similar to the email application in terms of giant fonts and restrictive resolutions, but unless your calendar is especially crowded it'll get the job done. The messaging app is extremely simplistic, with white text boxed off in solid hues. It certainly isn't flashy, but it also doesn't look like Microsoft spent much time on it.

Major and Minor Annoyances Throughout the past week there have been a number of major and minor issues that have bothered me about Windows Phone. One of the more annoying issues is the volume level. Windows Phone has thirty (30!) different levels of volume. Try as I might, I had a hard time really telling the difference between 13 and 14. It's a minor oversight, but it's an annoying one. Another minor issue is the inconsistency of the physical button's functions. As I mentioned before, holding the back button to see your recently opened applications makes sense. Just hitting the back button functions almost identically to the Android back button. The Start button brings you back to the Start screen, but holding it launches voice command. Hitting the search button launches Bing. That's it. Holding it does nothing. Hitting the search button in an app launches Bing. In other words, it's a rarely used button. Hopefully in a future update Microsoft will allow the use of the search button for an in-app search. A more critical issue is notifications. If you're in the middle of an app, a bar with the notification will slide along the top of the screen and stay there for about ten seconds before going away forever. After the notification disappears, the lock screen will display a badge for the app and the app will have a numerical badge next to it if you've pinned it to the Start screen. There is no centralized place to see all of your notifications, which can be a bit maddening if you're used to a modern operating system. Conclusions I honestly can't imagine using a Windows Phone 7 device as my main phone for any extended period of time. The animations and scrolling are slick, the UI is cohesive, and the simplicity is attractive, but the overall experience is not on par with Android or iOS. Android offers a better experience in terms of apps (both availability and price), multi-tasking, notifications, service integration, gaming, and productivity. It doesn't matter how fast your phone is if it's lacking in so many areas. So many parts of the operating system feel unfinished or untouched that it's honestly astounding to me that this is the second major release. As I've said elsewhere, Windows Phone 7 feels like 21st MS-DOS. Microsoft says that the inspiration for Metro UI is "street and airport signage." The signage inspiration is clear, but what isn't clear is why Microsoft thought that reverting the majority of visual cues to text would provide a better experience to the overtly graphical interfaces found in Android and iOS. Even if the apps were there (and to be clear, there is a serious dearth of quality apps), there are so many part of Windows Phone 7 that still feel incomplete or not thought through. Why would you make the email text so big that you can only preview four to five messages on a screen without scrolling? Why limit multi-tasking to six applications? Why do applications relaunch if you slect them from the Start menu instead of the multi-tasking menu? Why doesn't the email app replicate changes made on the server for IMAP connections? These are massive oversights that were possibly forgivable in the initial release, but to still have these issues in the second major version is incredible. Tim Cook is right, Microsoft will keep trying. I'm glad they decided to start over with Windows Phone 7, but if they want to break into an already established industry, they need to offer a product that blows the competition out of the water. Microsoft does not have that product. For the foreseeable future the smartphone space is going to continue to be dominated by Apple and Google. That's a disappointing sentence to write, but it's the truth. I want more competition. More competition drives real innovation. Android would not be as polished as it is today if Apple hadn't pushed the importance of design. iOS wouldn't have the excellent notifications it has now if it weren't for Android paving the way. I believe that Microsoft has some good ideas in Windows Phone 7, but if they really want to make an impact they need to do a lot better.

How to: Install Google Wallet From the Market on the Verizon LTE Galaxy Nexus

Kellen — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:00:28 +0000

We just discovered that Google Wallet has been given the green light for the Galaxy Nexus as long as it has an AT&T SIM (sorry T-Mo users), but the reason we discovered that in the first place, was a tip from a reader who claimed to have installed it on his Verizon LTE G-Nex. After following his instructions, we also were able to install the app directly from the Android Market without flashing a zip or doing anything that a non-rooted phone could not do. How did we do it? Instructions below. Instructions:

*People are having much better luck with the long version below.

1. ~~From your phone, open the browser and head to http://market.android.com.~~ ~~2. Search for "Google Wallet."~~
*If your browser prompts you to open the Market, don't. Just stay in the browser.
~~3. When the results come back, tap on the Google Wallet icon.~~ ~~4. The phone will prompt you to leave the browser and go to the Market. Choose the Market this time.~~ ~~5. You should now be sitting in the Android Market with Google Wallet up.~~ ~~6. Tap "install" and enjoy.~~ If that short method is not working, here is the full method that our tipster gave us:

*Tip: You may want to clear data and defaults on browser and Market before doing this.

1. From your phone open the browser and head to http://market.android.com. 2. Search for "Google Wallet."

*If your browser prompts you to open the Market, don't. Just stay in the browser.

3. When the results come back, tap on the Google Wallet icon. 4. Tap the "Install" button from within the browser and then sign into your Google account.

*Again, this is all from the browser, not the Market app.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jI-f2T4cCWI[/youtube]

*Note 1 - This method should work to get almost any blocked app installed on your phone. *Note 2 - The market is also now recognizing it as being installed:

Cheers Mbanicek!

GSM Galaxy Nexus Receives Google Wallet Access on AT&T, Still Nothing for the LTE Variant on Verizon

Kellen — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 15:19:41 +0000

By now, most of you know the story behind Google Wallet and the fact that it has only been officially available to the Nexus S 4G on Sprint, something that irritates the hell out of all new Galaxy Nexus owners. The other 3 major carriers here in the U.S. (Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile) have their own NFC payment system in the works and would rather you not use a competing service while they finalize everything. Basically what I'm saying is, that they have asked that the app be hidden from all phones with NFC chips that are activated on their networks. The app itself is in the Android Market, but if you attempt to view it from a phone, you will come up empty. Enter today. I was cruising around in the market doing some research on a tip that came in and noticed that Wallet was now showing as being available to my GSM Galaxy Nexus which is running an AT&T SIM card. In the past, as in back in December, that screenshot above looked entirely different. I know that Wallet was updated for some users yesterday, but it's almost impossible to tell if the note that reads "Small changes for device compatibility" was a part of it. If it is, then GSM users, jump on it! As far as Verizon goes, the LTE Galaxy Nexus is still not showing as supported. I'm in the middle of looking into something that has to do with it and will report back on my findings. For now though, feel free to ask Big Red on Twitter why AT&T has given the thumbs up, yet they still won't. Update: We figured out how to install Google Wallet to the LTE Galaxy Nexus. Instructions here.

New ASUS Tablet Spotted Overseas, Could It Be Next In The Transformer Lineup?

Tim — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 14:30:03 +0000

Above is a snapshot taken of what appears to possibly be the next rendition of the Asus Transformer tablet. According to documents alongside the unknown tablet, it is said to be model TF300T, which is a higher model number than its descendants. The Transformer Prime is model TF201, while the OG Eee Pad Transformer is model TF101. Besides its obvious brick red backing, there is not much to actually separate this mystery device from the others in the lineup. One thing that is noticeable is the absence of an LED flash for the camera. Could this be just a red OG Transformer? We can hope that more leaked info (crosses fingers for specs) eventually makes its way to the Interwebz so we can go back to "hypebeastin' devices." One more leaked shot after the break.

Via: Engadget

DROID RAZR and RAZR MAXX 6.12.173 Update is Official and Ready to Roll Out - Here is the Changelog

Kellen — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 13:58:59 +0000

The 6.12.173 update for the DROID RAZR that we posted up back on January 23 is now official and ready to roll out to handsets. Actually, the same software is also rolling out to the RAZR MAXX. We wrote about the fact that both phones would run identical software and that you could potentially install 6.12.173 to either device without any hiccups, so it's nice to see this confirmed by Verizon. From the changelog we have included up top, you can see that there are a number of performance and stability enhancements introduced with this update. Moto and Verizon also tossed in an update to Visual Voicemail, Mobile Hotspot, and MotoCast. A slightly tweaked and more polished UI is included as well, even if this document doesn't mention it. Since we have flashed the software already, you will have to trust us on that one. You can either wait for the update to appear on your device or manually install using these instructions. The update is 151MB in size. More info: RAZR | MAXX

Cheers Kris!

DROID 4 Price Confirmed for $199 on Contract, $549 at Full Retail

Kellen — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 13:33:45 +0000

After first reporting news earlier today that the DROID 4 would be out next Friday, February 10 for the Star Wars: Episode 1 3D premier, we now have a confirmation on price. Our sources told us $199 a week or so ago - that price is now confirmed in Verizon's own system. We also have the full retail price of $549, making this one of the more affordable LTE devices on the market today. Is this the 4G LTE slider that you cannot live without? Cheers ___!

Facebook for Android Receives Update - Bugs Fixes and Better Memory Management Included

Kellen — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 13:09:46 +0000

Facebook for Android updated this afternoon, bringing with it bug fixes and some sort of better memory management. We are hearing that it has made the overall experience much faster, but that's all in the eye of the beholder. Here is the note from Facebook:

We just released Facebook for Android 1.8.2 with better memory management, and all kinds of bug fixes. Please download it and post your feedback!

Go get some! Market Link Cheers Bjorn and everyone on Twitter for the changelog!

Google Introduces "Bouncer" Security Service for Android: Shows Massive Drop in Malicious Downloads, Calls Out Anti-Malware Companies

Kellen — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 13:00:50 +0000

Moments ago, Google unveiled a security service that has been working behind the scenes on Android for a few months now, codenamed Bouncer. The service allows the Android Market to scan apps that have been uploaded, analyze them for trojans or other malware, and then determine if they have tendencies that would lead them to misbehave. Again, this has been going on for months to protect you, Google is just now letting you know about how successful it has been. Here is the full explanation from Google:

The service performs a set of analyses on new applications, applications already in Android Market, and developer accounts. Here’s how it works: once an application is uploaded, the service immediately starts analyzing it for known malware, spyware and trojans. It also looks for behaviors that indicate an application might be misbehaving, and compares it against previously analyzed apps to detect possible red flags. We actually run every application on Google’s cloud infrastructure and simulate how it will run on an Android device to look for hidden, malicious behavior. We also analyze new developer accounts to help prevent malicious and repeat-offending developers from coming back.

Also in this announcement for Bouncer, Google managed to take a shot at the anti-spyware and security companies that you hear from constantly in the Android world. During their testing of this new security service, Android Market stats showed a 40% drop in potentially malicious apps being downloaded during 2011. That comes on the heels of numerous reports from anti-spyware companies that malware is constantly on the rise, something many of us have questioned all along. Here is the exact quote:

The service has been looking for malicious apps in Market for a while now, and between the first and second halves of 2011, we saw a 40% decrease in the number of potentially-malicious downloads from Android Market. This drop occurred at the same time that companies who market and sell anti-malware and security software have been reporting that malicious applications are on the rise. While it’s not possible to prevent bad people from building malware, the most important measurement is whether those bad applications are being installed from Android Market - and we know the rate is declining significantly.

Lastly, Google wants to make sure you understand how Android works on the security front and that it has been designed to make malware less potent. Some of the security measures include:

Sandboxing: The Android platform uses a technique called “sandboxing” to put virtual walls between applications and other software on the device. So, if you download a malicious application, it can't access data on other parts of your phone and its potential harm is drastically limited.
Permissions: Android provides a permission system to help you understand the capabilities of the apps you install, and manage your own preferences. That way, if you see a game unnecessarily requests permission to send SMS, for example, you don’t need to install it.
Malware removal: Android is designed to prevent malware from modifying the platform or hiding from you, so it can be easily removed if your device is affected. Android Market also has the capability of remotely removing malware from your phone or tablet, if required.

Feeling safer already? Via: Google Mobile Cheers for the pic MrChips!

Rhapsody Releases Redesigned Application For Android Tablets

Tim — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 12:50:39 +0000

Happen to be subscribed to Rhapsody and own an Android tablet? Then today is your day! After a long wait, Rhapsody has released a completely redesigned and overhauled application for 9"+sized tablet users. With the redesign, you will notice a magazine-style layout which makes finding your favorite tracks out of the 14 million+ they have available a whole lot easier.

Features: - Magazine-style layout with artist biographies and album reviews from some of the top music writers in the industry - Unlimited access to over 14 million songs - Customized playlists, new music recommendations - Exclusive content: artist interviews, live performances and pre-release listening - App is free, service is $9.99/month for unlimited listening on your phone, tablet, computer or via connected devices like Sonos.

The application is free, but you will still have to pay Rhapsody's $9.99 a month fee. For some folks, that's nothing if you enjoy listening to whatever song you want from wherever you are. Market Link Cheers Montoya!

Popular iOS Game "Saving Yello" Makes Its Way to Android

Kellen — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 12:18:39 +0000

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nd1FP92GD28[/youtube]

Saving Yello, another successful iOS game has made its way to Android this week. At first glance, I was convinced that this was just another Angry Birds knock-off, but once I watched the video and looked into it a bit, you can tell that it's much more. And having been downloaded over 1 million times on iOS, we wouldn't certainly hope it's more than a slingshot destruction game. The goal of the game is to launch a fish back into the safety of his bowl, but you will need to accomplish tasks on the way. Destroying toys, grabbing power-ups, and using physics to your advantage are all a part of the game. It's free if you want to get a 10-level taste with an in-app purchase of $.99 to unlock the rest. Market Link

February's Android Distribution Chart is Out - Gingerbread and Ice Cream Sandwich Shares Grow Slightly

Kellen — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 11:55:41 +0000

Back in January, Android 4.0 made up for all of 0.6% of the world Android market share. As of February 2, it has jumped up to a full 1% as a handful of tablets received updates from Honeycomb. Gingerbread as expected, remained king, growing another few percentage points thanks to updates on a number of phones. Overall though, the pie looks almost identical to that of the previous month. While manufacturers work hard on updating their phones to ICS in the coming months, it likely won't change much for a while. Via: Android Developers

Gameloft LIVE App Now Available, Direct Access To Gamloft's Catalog Of Games

Tim — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 11:00:00 +0000

Gameloft has launched the Gameloft LIVE application. The app itself is a portal to more games, networking with friends, and essentially more Gameloft content in general. You're given a 3D avatar and the ability to customize him/her however you see fit. Put them in different backgrounds, clothes, etc. just as you would with an Xbox Live avatar.

Additional features include:

An all-new 3D interface that enables players to create and customize their own unique avatar and develop it in an interactive, full-3D environment that’s full of surprises.

New social components that will allow you to make friends and stay in contact with them, invite them to play, send them messages, and chat with them in real-time for an even livelier experience than before.

More trophies and rewards to unlock through our games that will give you access to new items for your avatar and environment. Try your best and get the highest score!

Direct access to Gameloft’s product catalog offering exceptional offers and exclusive info, ensuring that you’ll always be the first to know about our upcoming releases.

If you want to have extreme access to Gameloft goodies, then you can download the LIVE app directly to your device from the Gameloft Store right here.

Some HTC Handsets Including the Thunderbolt had a WiFi Security Issue, May Have Already Been Fixed

Kellen — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 10:39:55 +0000

Another security hole has been made public that affected a number of HTC handsets, including the Thunderbolt. The issue was first discovered back in September of 2011 and was then patched in most of the handsets through OTA updates without any of you knowing. The vulnerability had to do with the way some of their handsets connect securely to WiFi networks, potentially leaving your password available. A list - from what we can tell - of devices that have already been updated is not available at this time. HTC has asked that we all check back next week to see whether or not your phone has already been fixed or if you need to manually patch your phone yourself. Via: TheNexWeb, HTC

Buy a Galaxy Nexus From Costco - Save $50 and Receive a Free Extended Battery

Kellen — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 09:35:02 +0000

Deals, deals and more smartphone deals. If you have yet to pick up a Galaxy Nexus, maybe this option from Costco will motivate you. Not only are they slashing around $50 off the 2-year contract price, but they are tossing in the extended battery at no extra cost. Extended batteries - if you can find them - normally run for around $50, so this deal is worth a look if you are in the market. Buy. Cheers Jason!

Verizon Systems Say February 10 is Actually the "All Channel" Launch for the DROID 4

Kellen — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 08:58:45 +0000

OK, so our sources from yesterday were 1 day off on the DROID 4. According to Verizon's equipment guide, the device will actually launch everywhere on February 10, next Friday (same day Star Wars in 3D hits theaters). Pricing is still unconfirmed, but the last MAP list we saw pegged it at $199 on contract. For those of you patiently waiting for a slider with power and 4G LTE, this is your only option for the time being. And it's not a bad one either, with a dual-core 1.2GHz processor, 1GB of RAM, a 4" qHD screen, edge-lit keys and dual cameras. I think the only question we all have now is, "When is the DROID 4 MAXX coming out?" I'm only sort of kidding with that, too. We had some time with the device at CES, you can check it out here. Cheers ___!

Reports Claim That Code from Android's Face Unlock Could be from Majel, We Highly Doubt it

Kellen — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 08:47:58 +0000

Someone in the Android community was bored over the last few days and decided to open up one of the .xml files for the Face Unlock feature in Ice Cream Sandwich. They noticed a list of items that for some reason, made them jump to the conclusion that these are a part of Google's rumored voice recognition/artificial intelligence service codenamed "Majel." As you can see from the list, they appear to be somewhat witty responses to actions. The only thing is, these are clearly alternate responses that appear on the screen when the Face Unlock doesn't recognize you. The first response listed is "Sorry, don't recognize you." If anyone has used Face Unlock at all, you will know that this is the canned response that appears every time. The others, are options that can probably be enabled, but for whatever reason, have not been. It's not Majel. These aren't voice-related or intelligent responses. They are pre-set lines that are displayed on the screen when the unlock feature does not recognize you. That's it. Moving on...

New Samsung Galaxy Device With Ice Cream Sandwich Buttons Leaked Before MWC? (Updated: Got to be Fake)

Kellen — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 08:05:05 +0000

Now that we know for sure that Samsung will not be unveiling a new flagship device at MWC at the end of the month, the device pictured above has surfaced to confuse the hell out of everyone. Is it a Galaxy SII re-hash? The Galaxy SII Plus that was floating around yesterday? Is it a fake? What we have is a device that looks like all other Samsung devices that were released from within the last year, only the normal navigation buttons have been swapped out to mimic the on-screen keys that we have been introduced to with the Galaxy Nexus. We also can see that the calendar has been updated to mention Sammie's keynote at MWC. The location on the calendar even says "Barcelona" which is where the event will take place. The device is clearly running Ice Cream Sandwich too. What do you guys think? Re-hash of the Galaxy SII to hold everyone over until the Galaxy SIII is ready or is it a fake? Update: We are all pretty sure that this is a fake, right? Plus, not every app on the planet is built for ICS and does not have the new "action bar." If you don't go with on-screen buttons and then remove the menu button from the physicals, you are simply put, screwed. Via: Twitter, BGR

Android Done Amigurumi Style, Someone Mass Produce These

Kellen — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 16:19:32 +0000

People with this much creativity and skill amaze me. And a girlfriend to one of our readers has done just that with her amigurumi Android. You can find more of her work at this blog. Cheers Kham!

Reminder: Running Out of Time to Upgrade Your Verizon XOOM to LTE

Kellen — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 15:55:07 +0000

Last minute reminder emails have been sent - it's time to get your XOOM 3G from Verizon upgraded to 4G LTE for free. After months of delays, owners of the world's first Honeycomb tablet were given the option to upgrade their tablets and also receive a free docking station at the end of September. We know that not many of you actually purchased this device and instead went for the cheaper WiFi version, but we wouldn't want those that did to get left behind. Verizon gave us a 6-month time frame to utilize this free upgrade service. Being February, you have around 2 months left to take advantage. Upgrade details | Reasons to upgrade according to our friend Peter Alfonso | Motorola site

Again, Clockwork Touch Recovery is Available in Beta for the Galaxy Nexus

Kellen — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 15:06:18 +0000

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1B5lH1wH1ds[/youtube]

We wrote up this bit of news on Sunday when Koush first released it, but our inbox has made it clear that many of you unplug from the internet on weekends (how dare you!). So for those with lives, you should know that a beta version of Clockwork Touch Recovery is available for the Galaxy Nexus and a handful of other devices. If you want to get it for free, you can browse through the "Download Touch Recovery" column at the ClockworkMod site and then flash the .img through fastboot (Instructions). If fastboot is not your friend, you can pay $1.99 through ROM Manager to unlock the touch goodness. *Note - Through the first couple of releases, some ROMs were struggling to flash properly. Koush appears to be working through many of those issues, so if you run into any, report the errors if you please, and be patient.

Wednesday Poll: How many apps are installed on your phone?

Kellen — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 14:38:34 +0000

Have you ever counted the number of apps that you have installed on your phone? Other than system apps, I just counted 68, most of which I forget are even installed. Not that they aren't all useful, but it seems like there are handful of core apps that get used dozens of times throughout the day while others are there because at some point, I might need to use them. So I'm curious, how many apps do you have installed? (Again, not counting system apps like Gmail or Google Maps) [poll id="129"]

Do We Have to Wait for the iPhone 5 to See NFC Widely Adopted? Probably. [Opinion]

Kellen — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 13:19:32 +0000

As Android fans, I know that most of us don't want to hear it, but if NFC (Near Field Communications) is ever going to take off and be widely adopted, we need the iPhone 5 to support it. When the Nexus S was released on December 16, 2010 as the first NFC-enabled phone, Google made an early push to get both businesses and consumers into accepting the idea that their phones could share information by simply touching it to objects. The thought of paying for your morning coffee or cab fare without having to dig into your purse or back pocket seemed so game-changing. Since we all make our phones the most readily available item on our bodies at all times, what a brilliant idea this was. Unfortunately for all of the early adopters, NFC has yet to take off after more than a year. You can blame Google Wallet's limited release to the Sprint version of the Nexus S only, the lack of manufacturers willing to build the technology into their phones, the yet-to-be-released Isis project by 3 of the 4 major carriers, or the lack of support by the entire credit card industry, but our thoughts immediately go to the one product that none of us care about. Yep, that would be the next iPhone. Should the next iPhone include an NFC chip, investing in some sort of NFC company would be a fantastic choice. As many of you know, meaningful movements take massive numbers in order to be effective. With the number of iPhone users growing by the millisecond, they make up such a massive percentage of the smartphone population that they may be the only group that can get something like NFC to go mainstream. If you aren't buying that thought, think back about some of the other concepts that Apple was able to leverage into billion dollar money makers. The iPad is for the most part, the only tablet in the world that can turn a decent sized profit after years of attempts by other tech companies, front facing cameras are now a standard in all smartphones, great grandmothers even know how to buy media through iTunes, and the PC world has one focus for 2012 - to create Ultrabooks aka MacBook Air competitors. We need Apple to make NFC happen. As painful as it is to write that, I'm sitting here with my Galaxy Nexus in Portland, OR unable to use NFC in my daily life. Sure, I can tap my GSM Nexus to my LTE Nexus and giggle or I can walk down to the closest McDonald's to buy a cheeseburger, but do I want to? Not really. I want to buy groceries with my phone, instantly send money to my friend who picked up the bar tab so that the waiter didn't have to bring us two checks, swap contact info in seconds with a new business colleague, and give the tourist on the street directions to the best burrito cart in the city. That's what I want to do. So far though, very few people own a phone with an NFC chip. I personally know 2. If the next iPhone adopts it, you immediately have a product with a new technology that millions of people are going to want to use. Not only that, but you have hundreds of companies who are going to want to develop products to use that new technology. And then hopefully, Android manufacturers figure it the hell out and start getting with the times. Like it or not, we need the iPhone this time around, folks.

FlatOut-Stuntman Heading Exclusively To Android Thanks To Team6

Tim — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 12:34:45 +0000

Just recently, Team6 have announced that they have plans to bring a version of the PC classic FlatOut to Android devices . This version shall be called FlatOut-Stuntman and will feature all of the aggressive racing and carnage that players know and love. For those not familiar, your goal is to crash the car in a manner that will force the driver to be ejected from the vehicle in a humorous, yet morbid manner. Sounds pretty sick, right? Team6's CEO had this to say about bringing the classic game to Android:

When we were doing concept art for the levels we had in mind, we suddenly realized that there is not a single game we can think of that's more fun to develop than 'FlatOut-Stuntman'. It's the pure essence, it has all the ingredients, of what the perfect videogame should be made of: The gameplay is entirely based upon very short levels but each of them highly additictive with a replay-value like no other game. The visuals we were able to achieve on Tegra3 are truly unbelievable and meanwhile our level design assured that gamers will be pleasantly surprised or even shocked by the possibilities in gameplay and content: There is nothing left for us to wish for what a great game should include.

No word on when we can expect a release, but we can hope for Q1. Ready to get your reckless driving on? [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gla0trGwC9Q[/youtube] Via: DroidGamers

Match.com: When it Comes to One-Night Stands, Android Users Lead the Smartphone Race

Kellen — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 11:43:44 +0000

According to a recent study performed by Match.com, Android users are kings and queens of the one-night stand in the dating world. Roughly 62% of Android users who participated in the study said that they have gone all-in on a first date. In comparison, iPhone users get dirty on day 1 at a rate of 57% while Blackberry users ~~never get laid~~ failed to crack 50%. The study also found that Android users then take 2-3 days to reach out after a date (potentially after that first big loose one), while iPhone users ~~sext~~ call the next day. Blackberry users drink more often than everyone and Android users lead the way in smartphone owners who visit dating sites, with 72% of those polled said that they have visited one. I feel like we are a pretty well-rounded group. Not only do we "multi-task" from the bathroom, but we also have the best set of pickup lines. "Are you an Android phone? Because I only handle things that are unlocked." Via: VentureBeat Cheers Matthew!

Google Docs for Android Receives Update, Better Tablet Experience and Offline Access Included

Kellen — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 11:22:37 +0000

Google apparently read our piece on there needing to be better Android tablet apps, including one of their own, Google Docs. Today, if you jump into the market and check for updates, you should find one for one of the most popular cloud-based document services in all the land. And if you have a tablet, your experience will be much more "high-res" and not stretched, to put it nicely. For all devices though, you will enjoy the ability to access files while offline. If you happen to edit those offline files, they will be automatically updated once you connect to WiFi. Thanks, Google.

Via: Google | Market Link

DROID 4 Should Launch February 9 at Verizon for $199

Kellen — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 09:30:23 +0000

The DROID 4 is the last of Verizon's CES phones to receive an official release date. At one point, this phone was scheduled to be released back in December, but with so many phones already dominating the holidays, it was seemingly pushed back. According to our sources, Verizon has finally set a new date. The current target is next Thursday, February 9 at a price of $199 on 2-year contract (matches the most recent MAP we saw). February 2 was at one time in the plans, but unless Big Red surprises us with an announcement today or tomorrow morning, you can set your sights on next week. And be sure to check out our hands-on with the DROID 4 from CES. Cheers ___ and ___!

Samsung Releases Teaser to Their Galaxy Note Super Bowl Ad

Kellen — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 09:06:34 +0000

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQro3kvKCtk[/youtube]

I know this is only a teaser, but they better come bigger than this on Sunday. The full 90 second spot will air during the 4th quarter.

ADzero's Bamboo Android Phone Possibly Launching Later This Year

Kellen — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 08:57:30 +0000

Designed by a student in the UK who was sick of the lack of variety in the smartphone market (no not RIM's CEO), the ADzero could end up as the world's first all bamboo phone. With backers in China and a model that can be put on display at trade shows, the team behind this eco-friendly phone hopes to launch some time in 2012. Hardware details are scarce, but from photos we can see that the phone matches up in size to the current Android players around. In fact, it looks a lot like an HTC Thunderbolt only one that is made of bamboo. The other significant thing to note is that the device is ultra lightweight thanks to its build materials. ADzero is also mentioning some some sort of new camera technology called "ring flash" that isn't available on any other phone. The phone will run a "custom" version of Android. Interesting. I will say that the phone is beautiful to look at. The idea that a phone could be made of all bamboo, remain ultra lightweight, and run Android is at least worth talking about. Tough to tell if it will ever become a reality though. We have yet to see the phone turn on.

More info.

Planning to Upgrade Smartphones in the Next Year? Best Buy Will Give You $50 to Buy Through Them

Kellen — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 08:28:17 +0000

If you are planning to upgrade smartphones within the next year, Best Buy wants your business now and is willing to give you $50 for it. Even if you can't upgrade until June, September or even December, you can let them know and a $50 gift card will be held for the day you finally do upgrade. In order to participate, you only have until February 12 to reserve a card, so be sure to jump on it if BBY smartphone deals are you thing. Offer. Cheers Scott!

Mint.com App Now Available to Android Tablets

Kellen — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 08:03:01 +0000

Your financial world needed some tablet action and Mint.com is here to give it to you. Released just moments ago to the Android Market, the new Mint app works all of the wonders of the phone version, but in a much bigger and more pronounced way. Your accounts are more easily organized, detailed graphs of spending are taps away, and tracking your wife's shopping sprees never felt better. Or does that ever feel good? No matter what though, the folks at Mint are betting on Android gobbling up 40% of the tablet market share in the next few months, so they want to make sure their bases are covered. Why can't we get more developers like this?

Organize all accounts: One tap gives users a complete overview of their finances; helps them review account balances and automatically categorizes transactions.
Obtain financial insight: Detailed graphs drill into spending by category, such as food, clothing and travel, or spending over time; provide customizable date ranges for a personalized view.
Stay on top of spending: Personalized budgets track spending help users reach financial goals.
Get personalized updates: Streaming delivery of account alerts, bill reminders and personalized advice provides the most up-to-date information and helps people make smart financial decisions.
Track cash spending: Enter cash transactions while on the go to more accurately capture spending.
Easily find transactions: The search bar helps users find specific transactions or purchases by merchant, category or tags.
Review finances anywhere: No Internet? No problem. Storing information from the latest download allows easier viewing of finances, anytime, anywhere

Market Link

Samsung: Galaxy SIII Will Be Unveiled Closer to Commercial Availability, Not Happening at MWC

Kellen — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 07:16:12 +0000

And there you have it. When Mobile World Congress (MWC) kicks off at the end of this month, you can set your sights on offerings from the rest of the smartphone world, as Samsung confirmed this morning that they will not be unveiling their new flagship, the Galaxy SIII. They plan to hold a special separate and self-hosted event for the device that is closer to "commercial availability." Basically, that means that they don't want to announce it at MWC and then have everyone sitting around waiting for 4 months before they can get their hands on it. You could call this the "Apple approach," but it certainly sounds like they are going to wait until the device is on the verge of shipping before making it official. Here is the statement:

The successor to the Galaxy S II smartphone will be unveiled at a separate Samsung-hosted event in the first half of the year, closer to commercial availability of the product.

Oh, and they will have other products at MWC to check out. Rumors have it that we could see the follow-up to the Galaxy Tab 10.1, assuming you are all still interested in Android tablets. Via: Pocket-Lint

Google TV Update Available for Sony Blu-ray Player, Chrome Enhancements and 3D Disc Playback Included

Kellen — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 17:15:33 +0000

I fired up my Sony Blu-ray Google TV tonight and was surprised to see an update available. It's a decent size at almost 260MB, bringing with it performance enhancements and the ability to play 3D discs. If you are not prompted to update, head into System Settings>About>System updates and pull it manually.

Report: Android Users Dominate iPhone and Blackberry Users in the Bathroom

Kellen — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 15:35:37 +0000

My fellow Android family members, hold your head high the next time you firmly plant your rear upon the porcelain throne. According to a study conducted by marketing firm 11mark, we use our phones while doin' work more than any other smartphone owner. That's right, of those surveyed that own Android phones, 87% said they are guilty of "multi-tasking" from the restroom. Blackberry users came in at 84% with iPhone users ~~lying~~ rounding out the results at 77%. Android users, taking over the world one flush at a time. Via: NetworkWorld Cheers Paul!

GetGlue Receives UI Overhaul, Take Your Gossip Girl Check-ins to the Next Level

Kellen — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 15:16:29 +0000

Whether you use them or not, social check-in apps are going no where any time soon. The newest UI overhaul over at GetGlue is a sign of just that. While I personally have never used the service, at least a few hundred thousand of you do on Android alone. Who knew that checking into TV shows, movies or books for that matter would be such a big deal? And yes, I just got a "Droider" sticker. Jelly? Through the latest update, users get a new visual stream for check-ins to Gossip Girl (other shows too), the ability to participate in multiple conversations about Selena Gomez, and personalized guides to shows. Badge me, GetGlue! Badge me! Market Link | More info

Samsung Galaxy SIII Landing March 13? So Says the Latest Rumor From Abroad

Kellen — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 14:13:04 +0000

Hey, how about another Samsung Galaxy SIII rumor that doesn't match up at all to previous rumors! Sorry, that's not fair, it's just that Sammie's latest is all anyone can talk about leading up to Mobile World Congress, only none of us have any clue what is really going on. You have to give up to Samsung, they are locking this phone up tight and giving out only minimal (read "zero") details about this year's flagship. This latest rumor has it pegged for a March 13 release in Turkey. Will it happen? Your guess is as good as my cat's. We have also heard April in the past along with a possible Olympics launch. See, the rumors are all over the board. One thing is certain - this phone will be impressive, assuming Samsung pushes innovation like they did with the Galaxy SII last year. Via: MobileCowboys Image courtesy of Android and Me.

Galaxy Nexus Camera Brings Its Panoramic Game Face to the Super Bowl

Kellen — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 13:31:45 +0000

Our very own Eric R. cruised down to the Super Bowl events taking place in Indianapolis today and snapped some photos including this panoramic picture with his Galaxy Nexus. Nothing else to say, just wanted to share one of the better G-Nex shots we have seen. Oh, someone tell the guy in the Joseph Addai jersey that the Colts went 2-14 and are not playing this Sunday. Readers in Indy? Anyone headed to the Super Bowl? Awesome recently snapped photos to share? Pats or Giants? Favorite Super Bowl snack?

Waze 3.0 Update Now Live In Market, Redesigned User Interface And Social Location Stack

Tim — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 13:13:08 +0000

Waze is one of those apps that turns your daily commute into a social network. You might think you don't need it, but when you see people taking shortcuts to work that you never knew about, you are going to wish you were part of that in-crowd. The newest update to Waze brings a newly enhanced interface which is easy-to-navigate and minimal. Along with the new look, Waze is now integrated into even more of your social networks including Foursquare and Yelp. You can find a dining spot on these apps, then have Waze take you there. It is just the thing you might like if you love having your friends tied into everything you do. Waze 3.0 update includes:

New Minimalist UI: The new graphic redesign takes full advantage of Android phones’ screen size by minimizing the Waze interface to display only 2 large buttons on a full screen map. In addition, a new display of traffic and events en route helps drivers makes the smartest travel choices before they leave. The guidance system has also been amplified with large fonts and complete text-to-speech capabilities for optimized hands-free navigation -- plus the new aesthetic gives the app a little more swagger and style. The New Social Location Stack: Traditional GPS systems are built on static, old world maps and points of interest, which never reflect real-time information about new businesses, pop-up shops, or live local events. The new social eco-system provides a combination of consumer-generated data from people driving, checking in, and reviewing locations in real-time. This layer of social location information is now available to drivers in a navigation setting. With community-curated data from Waze, Foursquare, and Yelp, drivers can now search for real-time events as easily as they would find their local Walmart.

Market Link [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGA9Q0WGk_4[/youtube]

Google Issues Letter to Address Questions by Congress Over New Privacy Policy

Kellen — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 12:30:45 +0000

Google managed to raise some eyebrows last week when they announced that as of March 1, they would migrate to a single privacy policy for the majority of their services. While some will remain on their own, some 60 or so Google products will all have one policy. The goal in theory, is to make your experience with Google more seamless and intuitive. Since this is Google though, not everyone was ready to buy into that argument and questions were raised by some pretty important people. That would be Congress. A letter has already been written by Google to address these questions. The entire letter is available and touches on the types of data that is collected, whether or not it will be sold, the plans for sharing between Google products, and more. If you have privacy concerns, this is something that you will want to read. For those that don't have much time to dive into such a lengthy document, we have some of the key points for you below:

We’re still keeping your private information private -- we’re not changing the visibility of any information you have stored with Google.
We’re still allowing you to do searches, watch videos on YouTube, get driving directions on Google Maps, and perform other tasks without signing into a Google Account.
We’re still offering you choice and control through privacy tools like Google Dashboard and Ads Preferences Manager that help you understand and manage your data.
We still won’t sell your personal information to advertisers.
We’re still offering data liberation if you’d prefer to close your Google Account and take your data elsewhere.

You can read their full letter here. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGghlPmebCY[/youtube] Via: Google

Humble Bundle Launches On Android, Name Your Price For Four Great Games While Helping Charities

Tim — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 11:24:10 +0000

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrZLUqHfejk[/youtube]

What happens when you package up four of Android's über popular games and give someone the option of paying whatever they want for them? It's called Humble Bundle. They've teamed up with app developers to give people the option of getting the best games, while also donating to helpful children's charities. Awesome, right? Buy Anomaly, Osmos HD, and Edge for a certain amount, and then get World of Goo thrown in for free as long as you donate just $4 and some change. In the long run, you're saving money on the games and you're even able to have all the proceeds go to the charities. Check out the video above and then give their site the look over. You can choose to pay with Google Checkout, Paypal, or even Amazon Payments. Help a good cause and get some sweet games at the same time. It's a win-win scenario. Humble Bundle Site Cheers Sagis!

Custom Theme Tuesday: Black Exodus For GummyNex And AOKP

Tim — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 10:43:18 +0000

This is what we have been looking for in a Galaxy Nexus theme. It is dark, minimal, and super sexy. The theme is called Black Exodus from a themer who goes by the alias "Nitroz." If you are running either the Android Open Kang Project ROM or GummyNex for the Galaxy Nexus, then you are definitely in luck. Black Exodus does exactly what you would hope it to do, which is completely black out your entire system, Google apps along with their widgets, and pretty much everything in between. Instructions for installation:

Download zip file for which ROM you are running - AOKP Build 21 | AOKP Milestone 3 | GummyNex 0.7.0
Place zip on phone's storage.
Reboot into ClockworkMod Recovery and create NANDROID backup immediately.
Navigate to theme .zip and install.
Reboot and enjoy!

After you have completed those easy steps, you shall be basking in the custom theme glory. If you have any questions or concerns, shoot them down below and we will try to help out as much as we can.

Via: Rootzwiki

4G LTE Networks Going Live in a Handful of New Markets

Kellen — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 10:17:21 +0000

Over the last week or so, we received tips from a number of readers who live in 3G Verizon markets that have turned in 4G LTE markets over night. Some of these are what most would consider "small markets" including one that is a farming community of roughly 1,500 people. Here is the list of new markets that have popped up:

Hazleton, PA
Cookeville, TN
Belle Fourche, SD
Greenville, NC

Throughout the rest of the year, this is likely what we will see - smaller markets getting the green light without much of a mention. Now that the majority of major cities in the country have already gone live, it's time to welcome in the rest of the country. Noticing 4G in your area for the first time? Let us know. Cheers Dollyllama, Dylan, Vincent, and Rob!

#OPMOSH Isn't a Fan of Motorola's New RAZR Developer Edition, Deems it "Unacceptable"

Kellen — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 09:21:24 +0000

Oh, you thought that things would quiet down on the Motorola bootloader front now that the RAZR Developer Edition has been announced? Boy did you think wrong. The folks behind Operation: Make Ourselves Heard feel a little disrespected and have deemed this bootloader solution as "unacceptable." Their social attack on all things Moto will kick into overdrive going forward. With Moto claiming time and time again that they would have a "software" solution to unlocking bootloaders, their release of yet another phone to address developer concerns is sort of a slap in the face. I tend to agree with #OPMOSH in that many of you purchased Moto devices at the end of 2011 because we were led to believe that at least something would happen for newer devices. Motorola has yet to release any sort of tool to unlock bootloaders and has instead asked that you purchase another phone, a phone that does not have a warranty. You also do not have the option of returning the bootloader-locked phone you already paid for. If you own a company and are looking for a customer satisfaction model to avoid, look no further. If you need a recap on the timeline of events leading up to this "bootloader solution," you will want to see this post. For details on how you can join #OPMOSH, check out this thread.

Official Steam App Leaves Beta, Un-Official Steam Apps Getting Pulled From Market?

Eric — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 08:26:34 +0000

Well, you asked and Valve listened. The Steam app for Android is now open to everyone with a Steam account, so you can download it and start chatting it up with your buddies on your phone. The app is still under construction in some areas but I get the feeling that this will be getting frequent updates to fix all the problems.

In a bit of "I am not surprised" news, it seems that any apps offering the Steam functionality that were not licensed by Valve have been disappearing from the Market. Steam actually had an API available to the public so that they could make apps if they pleased, and there were a few pretty decent ones. However it seems that now Valve is in the game officially they would like you to kindly use theirs.

Market Link

HTC Ville Caught on Video Running Ice Cream Sandwich, Sense 4.0 and Looking Ultra-Slim

Kellen — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 07:45:39 +0000

A month before Mobile World Congress kicks off and we have the first mega-leak to drool over. The HTC Ville was caught in a lengthy video this morning, showing off its official spec list, Sense 4.0 over Ice Cream Sandwich, and an ultra thin body. This is a device that we have covered for a while now over at Android Life as it is rumored to be heading to T-Mobile, but with this being one of the first polished sightings of Sense 4.0, we wanted to make sure that everyone saw it. So what is the Ville? It's HTC's thinnest smartphone ever at roughly 8mm thick, but will rival some of the other players for the "thinnest smartphone in the world" tag. As you can see from the front, HTC is moving to a 3-button approach to match up with Android 4.0, however, they are still using hardware soft keys instead of on-screen soft keys. The design itself looks like most of HTC's previous work, but again, this sucker is ultra thin. Hit up the break to see the full spec list and a quick run-through of the device. Specs:

4.3" qHD display
1.5GHz dual-core processor
1GB of RAM
8MP rear camera
VGA front camera
Bluetooth 4.0
HTC Sense 4.0
Android 4.0.1

Update: ~~Video has apparently been pulled already. That was fast~~. Update 2: A new version is available to watch. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qgmIC1ESZE[/youtube] Via: HTC-Hub

Monday Poll: Current Custom ROM is?

Kellen — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 15:01:08 +0000

Since we made the decision at the end of last week to kick start Custom ROM/Theme Friday again, we need to make sure we have a good feel for the ROMs and themes that you guys are into these days. With more ROMs for the Galaxy Nexus than any normal person can keep up with, we would love to hear about your favorite, along with custom kernels, mods and themes. We also can't forget about the Rezound (aka the current darling of the Android world), RAZR, Bionic, and all of the other recently released and popular devices. It'll be a tough task trying to keep up with them all, but we are ready to give it a shot. So in the comments, let us know phone, ROM, kernel, mods, theme and anything else that has been done.

Samsung Wants You to be "Obsessed" With Their Products, Targeting Summer Olympics for Galaxy SIII Launch?

Kellen — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 14:19:05 +0000

How many things in this world do you consider yourself to be obsessed with? Are any of them tech products or companies? Some would argue that the folks at this site are obsessed with Android, but I still don't think anything compares to the love affair that individuals have with Apple. And that's not meant in a hateful way, it's just clear that certain groups of people are so passionate about Apple products that they will do some odd things to make sure you know it. Samsung wants you to be that way with their products. According to Samsung marketing executive Younghee Lee who sat down with AllThingsD, the Korean electronics company is ready to "change people's attention." With consumers in the U.S. being "obsessed with Apple," they want to engage consumers at the bottom of their heart and for them to love their products in return. Lofty goals, but if anyone can do it, it would be Samsung who has been gobbling up Android and worldwide smartphone market share like no other company over the last year. On a related note, Lee also mentioned that Samsung will use its sponsorship of the Olympic games to launch a product for the first time. While she refused to mention which product that may be, I'd bet you can come up with pretty good guess. The Galaxy SIII was originally supposed to be unveiled at Mobile World Congress next month in Barcelona, but rumors have it getting pushed back to a later date. I can't think of a better time to announce your top product of 2012 than while the entire world is glued to TVs, watching a 2-week long telecast. Can you imagine the amount of reach we are talking about, here? Samsung will also have a spot at this weekend's Super Bowl, however, it is expected to be for the Galaxy Note. So tell me, ready to obsess over Samsung? Are you obsessed with any tech company, for that matter? [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOSgfvTC35A[/youtube] Via: AllThingsD

Tip: Want to Keep Root After an OTA Update? Try Voodoo OTA RootKeeper

Kellen — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 13:17:42 +0000

If there was one concern that rooted users continue to bring up whenever a new OTA update is on the horizon, it's whether or not it will break root. Just so you know, almost all updates break root and this question has become sort of a running joke at this point. But for those that are still worried, we wanted to turn you on to an app called Voodoo OTA RootKeeper that we have yet to feature for some reason. The app makes a "protected backup" of your phone's root that can be restored after updating your phone. So the next time your phone prompts you to update, be sure to load up RootKeeper, create that root backup, then apply the update, and then restore root. RootKeeper can also perform a "temporary un-root" which is like spoofing your system into thinking it is no longer rooted. You know how apps like Google Videos block you from watching anything if you are rooted? This would be a way around that. The developer is not encouraging you do use it for this reason though, but for "development" purposes instead. Almost all Honeycomb tablets and Nexus devices should be supported by this. If you thumb through the comments on the market listing, you will see many more though including a bunch of Motorola devices like the DROID 3 and Atrix. Basically, any device whose OTA updates do not format your /system partition, should be supported. Even the Rezound is supported. Since it's free, why not give it a shot? Market Link Cheers Jigga_Z!

Is Verizon Finally Preparing to Launch Family Data Plans? Still Tough to Tell

Kellen — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 12:23:45 +0000

This screenshot showed up in the tech world today, and everyone is taking it to mean that Verizon's family shared data plans are imminent. It could very well mean just that, but we have seen these "account level" changes happening in Big Red systems for a while now, none of which have turned into family plans. In fact, we saw the first changes to start migrating family accounts towards a future of shared data back in June. But since the company's CEO spoke of family pots happening in 2012, our ears are perked. However, until we see something that actually references "family data plans" and not just "account level," we will have to assume that not much is changing just yet. With that said though, I think we would all welcome in family pots of data sooner than later (assuming the price is right, of course). Via: Engadget

DROID RAZR MAXX Review - Verizon

Kellen — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 11:40:08 +0000

Since we already reviewed the DROID RAZR and there are very few differences other than the battery in the MAXX, this won't be the full review that you would normally see with a new device. Instead, I will go through my thoughts on the subtle changes and of course, talk about the 3300mAh elephant in the room. I will say that I was as impressed with this phone as I was the original RAZR, but the single-charge life was a massive bonus.

The Good:

Full review: Again, please read our full review of the DROID RAZR to get our thoughts on the software experience and other little tid bits.
Battery: Let's get right to it. The 3300mAh battery in this phone is amazing. With all other LTE phones continuing to struggle to make it throughout an entire day, that is a worry that will disappear should you choose the RAZR MAXX as your next device. I spent the entire weekend with it, putting up day 1, day 2 and day 3 results and thoughts. Never once did I run into battery concerns. The most amazing part of the whole experience was on Saturday, when I only had time to charge the phone to around 60% before heading out for the day. Even at 60%, I never did find myself wondering where the closest outlet was; something that I constantly do with other LTE phones.
Thickness: You would think with a 3300mAh battery inside that the RAZR MAXX would suffer from Tank Syndrome, but it doesn't. Motorola is working magic on the thickness front these days and has kept this phone under 9mm. For comparison, the original RAZR is around 7.1mm while the Galaxy Nexus weighs in at 9.47mm - neither come close in battery capacity.
Camera: I covered camera in the RAZR review, but wanted to touch on it again. Not only is this camera incredibly fast, it also takes pretty damn good pictures. As someone that has been on the Galaxy Nexus since it was released in December, this was a welcomed change. It may not match the camera of the HTC Rezound, however, it'll do the job.

Call quality and signal strength: The slightly thicker build has not affected the call quality or signal strength with this phone. Not that bars are the most scientific of methods to compare two phones, but the RAZR MAXX almost always pulls in more than my Nexus. Phones calls are also as clear as any other phone.

The Not-so-Good:

Charging time: Most phones with sub-2000mAh batteries can be charged in under 2 hours. Since the RAZR MAXX has a 3300mAh behemoth inside, it takes a heck of a lot longer than that. You are looking at anywhere from 2.5-3.5 hours to charge this device fully should you run it down to under 20%. Charging time is definitely not reason enough to decide against a phone, but just be aware that you will want to charge it while sleeping so that you won't have to worry about it during the day. If you ever caught yourself in a pinch with little time to charge, you might be in trouble.
Locked bootloader: Motorola announced a new RAZR variant with an unlockable bootloader today. The RAZR MAXX will likely never see such freedom. This phone is locked down just like every other Moto phone. It's too bad really because this phone could be tough to turn down by even developers were it to be unlockable.
Not Ice Cream Sandwich: Like I mentioned earlier, this phone is running the exact same software as the skinnier RAZR which means Gingerbread. With Ice Cream Sandwich now being a couple of months old, it's disappointing to see phones hit store shelves with year-old software. Sure, it will see Android 4.0 at some point, but it could be a while.
Price: It's $299 on 2-year contract, so definitely not cheap. Knowing Moto's track record from the last few months, potential buyers should understand that there could be yet another upgraded version of this phone on the way. I know that sounds like a silly joke, but would you really be surprised if Moto pumped out an even better phone in April? That's the mobile game these days though.

Unboxing:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2IBlpwEnyLs[/youtube]

Gallery:

The Verdict:

The DROID RAZR MAXX is my favorite Motorola phone to date. Actually, it's pushing the Galaxy Nexus as my favorite Android phone period. While it's locked bootloader will continue to hold it back on the development side of this game, it's still one heck of a phone thanks to battery life and a somewhat surprisingly polished manufacturer skin. If you aren't interested in hacking your smartphone, this phone should be strongly considered even at the $299 price. Moto should actually be applauded for figuring out a way to stick such a massive battery inside such a skinny phone. It feels weird to recommend a phone based off of battery performance, but with the #1 complaint about LTE phones continuing to be battery life, it's warranted.

DROID RAZR MAXX Specs | Other RAZR MAXX Coverage

New Galaxy Nexus Running a TI OMAP4470 Chip Gets Benchmarked?

Kellen — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 10:27:03 +0000

Google and Samsung wouldn't actually drop a higher-end Galaxy Nexus on us, would they? If the NenaMark benchmark that you are seeing above is to be believed, that's exactly what could happen. Aside from being impressive, the benchmark lists a PowerVR SGX 544 GPU which just so happens to be the same GPU in TI's OMAP4470 processor. As you all know, the current Galaxy Nexus is running TI's OMAP4460 with a SGX540 GPU. The SGX540 is no slouch, but the SGX544 can apparently run circles around it, something that is made clear in the benchmark above. The 4470 can also run at up to 1.8GHz even though in this benchmark it appears to be underclocked to 1.3. TI announced in June of 2011 that the OMAP4470 would begin shipping in devices during the first half of 2012. Could someone have spoofed the GPU in the result? Maybe, although it would seem as if they would need to go through quite a bit of work to do so. Maybe they spoofed the name of the device instead? Tough to tell. What we do know is that Sprint is getting a G-Nex in the very near future and they have yet to open up about the specs. We all saw the premature ad for the device before CES showing that it has a 1.5GHz dual-core processor. We also saw a set of brief hands-on coverage for it a week later when it was announced, but no mention of the internals. I think most of us assumed it would be identical to the Verizon LTE version, however, you have got to wonder a bit now. A lot of questions that we would love answers to. Via: NenaMark Cheers Dan!

First Three Phoenix Wright Games Coming To Android, Objections Galore

Eric — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 10:15:07 +0000

Talk about games that I can get excited about coming to Android. When Capcom recently announced their newest upcoming game, Ace Attorney 5, they also dropped the bomb that the first three games in the series would be getting re-releases with updated graphics. Ace Attorney 1, 2 and 3 will be coming to "Android devices."

Mums the word on release date or what devices those will be but we will hear when these games get closer to releasing. The Ace Attorney HD games will cost you about $7.80 a piece or you can buy the trilogy for around $15.60. The Ace Attorney games are a cult classic and if you have not had the chance to play one before I would highly suggest trying one when they do release, they are great games.

Via: Siliconera

Cheers Rob!

Mod: NOVA Launcher Custom Folder Icon Themes

Kellen — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 09:42:52 +0000

Nova Launcher has become a big enough deal that modders are starting to put in work on it. One of those mods that really stood out to us was this set of custom folder icons. If you weren't a fan of Google's ICS circular folder option, then feel free to browse through 11 or so that jaydotelloh has created. You'll find fully transparent icons, square, different colored rings, and a variety of shelves/platforms. We grabbed 4 of our favorites for quick downloads below, but be sure to hit up the source for more. Downloads: Transparent | Glass Platform | Square | Blue Rings Instructions:

*Rooted users only. Should work with most ROMs. *Consider making a backup first.

1. Download your theme of choice to your phone's storage. 2. Boot into recovery. 3. Choose "install zip from sdcard" and flash the file. Via: RootzWiki Cheers Picolas!

HTC Rezound Drops to $79 at Amazon for New Customers, $159 for Upgrades

Kellen — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 09:00:14 +0000

The HTC Rezound is all the rage these days. With its unlockable bootloader, amazing screen, high-end specs, and continually dropping price at a number of retailers, how could you not consider it if you are in the market for a new phone? And if you are, Amazon should probably be one of your stops as the price has dropped to $79.99 for new customers. If you are a current customer (which most of you are), then $159 is what you will pay. Buy. Cheers Jim!

Motorola RAZR "Developer Edition" - Everything You Need to Know About Moto's Bootloader Plans

Kellen — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 08:14:43 +0000

Last night, we first spotted a post from Motorola's new community blog - which was quickly removed - that detailed their plans to release a Motorola RAZR Developer Edition. That post is now live again along with a handful of other details that you may have had questions about. Moto's bootloader thoughts, plans for the future, and more have all been released. This new Euro RAZR is also up for pre-order if you are interested. We have it all for you down below.

Device

This new RAZR "Developer Edition" will be their first product since the Motorola XOOM to include an unlockable bootloader and is headed to Europe in the very near future. A specific date has not been given, but you can pre-order it now for 499€ or roughly $659. Once purchased, you will not have the standard manufacturer's warranty that you are used to. In fact, according to the Motorola Shop, this phone will come without a warranty whatsoever. If anything goes wrong, you are out $650. The fair price we agree to pay to have Android freedom and amazing hardware? Up to you.

Bootloader FAQ (a good read for everyone)

If you are unsure of what a bootloader is and how Motorola views it, you will want to check out their FAQ that has been posted this morning. Below, you will find some of the major points that everyone should take a glance at, but the section is long enough that you should probably read it in its entirety to see how things will be handled once we have a developer device from Moto here in the U.S.

What is a bootloader? The bootloader is responsible for performing basic hardware initialization, verifying the integrity of the operating system, and starting the operating system, and it provides a method to update device software. This validation is important to verify that the software loaded on the device will not damage sensitive components (radios, processors, etc.) or violate regulatory or carrier requirements. Google provides a base bootloader as part of the Android operating system, and most device manufacturers optimize this for their specific devices. What is “rooting”? This means that the user has gained root or administrative privileges on the device. In general this allows the user to make modifications that would not normally be possible to a consumer or developer. With such privileges comes both risk and additional capability - it is best left to the very technically savvy. It is possible to make changes to the device that will permanently damage it or break it or render it entirely inoperable. What does it mean to unlock the bootloader? Unlocking the bootloader is the first step towards allowing the end user to gain root privileges and make modifications to the device. Such modifications could involve changing some of the pre-loaded software, or could even include replacing the entire operating system. Some developers and enthusiasts unlock and root in order to experiment with applications or with custom builds of Android. Does unlocking the bootloader mean I can use my device with any wireless operator? No, this does not disable a carrier subsidy lock if one exists. Some subscriptions are tied to a specific wireless operator and the phone cannot be used on another operator’s network. A “locked bootloader” and “carrier subsidy lock” are thus two entirely different topics. Do not unlock the bootloader if you are seeking to disable the carrier subsidy lock. Will all of my data and applications be there after unlocking? No. All user data on the internal partition is erased when you unlock the bootloader, so you may need to move data back to your device, set up user accounts, etc. This is like a factory reset, but data or applications on a removable SD card will not be deleted. However, any apps that depend upon user data on the internal partition will not be able to access this data. Encrypted data on a removable SD card will also be inaccessible as the encryption keys are removed when unlocked. Can I re-lock my device after I have unlocked the bootloader? Yes, by re-loading an original Motorola software image and re-locking the bootloader. Find the correct image on the MOTODEV Device Software page, download it to a computer, and using the Android SDK, follow the instructions listed on the page to flash and re-lock your device. Re-locking your device does not change the warranty status or legal agreement under which the product was sold. Will I receive software updates automatically after I have unlocked the bootloader? Not necessarily; it will depend on what modifications you have done to the software. You can however get the original software released for the device from the MOTODEV Device Software page, download it to a computer, and using the Android SDK, follow the instructions listed on the page to flash or update your device. The Motorola RAZR™ Developer Edition will launch with which version of the Android OS? The Motorola RAZR™ Developer Edition available in the EU will launch with Gingerbread.

The rest of Motorola's bootloader FAQ can be found here.

Software Images

Just like the XOOM, you will find full software images for the RAZR at the MotoDev software site. If you need to re-lock or flash your device back to the way it came out of the box, this is where you will find the tools to do exactly that. Since there is no warranty on the device, these files will really be used to get you back on the update path or to fix your phone should you soft-brick it.

Software Updates

From what we have read this morning, Motorola has made it sound like they will deliver updates to their unlockable devices. Those plans have not been made public yet, but should be once this first phone has been released.

Bootloader Forum

I'm not so sure this was the brightest idea to come out of Moto in the last couple of years, but yes, they have created a bootloader forum for you all to troll. Actually, try to at least add to the conversations that are going on over there rather than just spouting off "unlock bootloader!" We wouldn't want to see this get shut down.

More Info

They are calling this site their "instructions page." News regarding bootloaders going forward will likely be posted at this MotoDev blog. And that's that. Has anyone decided to pre-order the new "Developer Edition" RAZR? Cheers Nathan and Mark!

DROID RAZR 4G LTE Toggle Works on MAXX and Bionic

Kellen — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 07:40:25 +0000

While it's not a fully functional toggle that will switch LTE on or off without having to leave a home screen, this will act as a shortcut to get you quickly into the "Mobile network settings" menu on the DROID RAZR, MAXX, and Bionic. It's also free and the only option you really have right now for Motorola devices. Market Link Cheers evltwn!

Breaking: Motorola Announces RAZR "Developer Edition" With Unlockable Bootloader for Europe, U.S. Variant Too

Kellen — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 18:28:51 +0000

That headline is not a joke, folks. Motorola, through their community blog, has announced the RAZR "Developer Edition" which has an unlockable bootloader. No release date was given in the post, but from the sound of it, the device should be here very soon. A pre-order page is in the works here. In even better news though, they also announced that a U.S. version would be available in the "coming months." Now, we have heard fine promises like this in the past from Moto, but will try our hardest to take their word for it seeing as they are pushing an actual device to Europe. We have no idea if it will have Verizon radios or not. Since the European version is GSM, you could easily come to the conclusion that the U.S. will see an unlockable GSM version too. That's unconfirmed, of course. Info on the unlocking and relocking process will be available at the MotoDev site. *Note - It looks like they posted this news a little prematurely. Proof after the break. Thoughts?

Touch-Enabled Clockwork Recovery Released as Beta for Galaxy Nexus

Kellen — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 15:02:06 +0000

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1B5lH1wH1ds[/youtube]

The touch-based Clockwork Recovery that was teased late last week is now available in beta form if you would like to test it. I flashed it without any problems, cruised through menus and am now performing my first backup with it. So far, everything seems to work. Scrolling through lists of files can be a little difficult to control at this time, but again, it's a beta so expect all of the polish to come as you all take the time to test and provide feedback. Otherwise Galaxy Nexus owners, get to it. Download: touch-tuna.img Instructions:

*We went with basic commands here. If some of this is foreign to you, I suggest you check out all of our complete instructions in the Galaxy Nexus Guide.

1. Download the file from above and place it in your SDK Tools or Platform-Tools folder.

*Wherever your adb.exe and fastboot.exe files are located, that's where you copy the new recovery too.

2. Open a command prompt from within that folder (hold SHIFT and right click - choose "open command") 3. Type the following commands:

adb reboot bootlooader fastboot flash recovery touch-tuna.img

4. When that finishes pick up your phone and choose "Recovery mode" using the volume keys. 5. Your phone should boot into the new recovery. 6. Enjoy touching! Via: Google+

1Weather Puts Most Weather Apps to Shame, Keeps It Minimal Too

Kellen — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 14:20:46 +0000

Sick of the old standard weather apps? You may want to give 1Weather a try, as it not only matches up perfectly to the styling of Ice Cream Sandwich, but it also packs a punch on the functionality and features fronts. Brought to us from the folks behind TweetCaster and BaconReader, you won't find many apps in general that look this nice. Through 1Weather (which is free by the way), you get current weather, forecasts, warnings, precipitation levels by day, view sun and moon charts, photos of current weather, tweets by location, can set up a variety of your favorite cities or towns, and then add them as widgets. Is this the best weather app available? It might just be. Market Link

DROID RAZR MAXX Battery Test Day 3 - Why Can't Every Phone Have This Battery?

Kellen — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 13:45:52 +0000

The first couple of days with the RAZR MAXX were on opposite ends of the battery spectrum. The first was a typical first day with a phone meaning it was nothing to write home about, while day 2 was impressive, to say the least. Day 3 was pretty much like day 2 in that battery was never a concern even though I had to kick things off at around 60% charge.

Day 3

First off, apologies for the lack of screenshots. Day 3 was just so sporadic with no time for a full charge that the shots of battery status would not have made much sense. What I mean by that is, I woke up to a battery that had around 30% charge left, but was then only able to charge it for about an hour before heading out for the day. So with a 60% charge on me, I ran for almost 6 hours before the phone dropped to around 27% with moderate use. I then had some free time and plugged it in to see how long it would take to charge on the Motorola charger that it came with and it still took roughly 3 hours. Without any screenshots to show, I'll just say a couple of things to wrap this up. This phone, will easily last you all day long even with heavy use. I have yet to turn on WiFi during the last 3 days and have never once had to worry about battery issues. I would however, recommend that you make sure to plug this phone in at night because of the amount of time that it takes to charge. At 3300mAh, this isn't going to be a quick 1 hour charge job. So while battery life isn't a concern, making sure you have time to charge is.

DROID RAZR MAXX Battery Test Day 2 - Things Looking Good

Kellen — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 07:31:38 +0000

As you can see from the top two screenshots, day 2's battery test with the DROID RAZR MAXX was the polar opposite of day 1. As we mentioned yesterday, the first charge on a new battery is almost always going to be your worst. You spend a ton of time setting up your phone, plus these things just seem to need a full day or so to get ready for the grind. So while during day 1 the phone managed to get through roughly 17 hours before begging for a charger, day 2 could have easily gone into the majority of day 3 with all of the juice it had left.

Day 2

After unplugging from the charger yesterday at around 10:15AM and taking it through my normal routine of Gmail, Twitter, calendar, browser, some phone, a Blazers game with pictures and video, a night on the town, and 6-7 hours of sleep, the RAZR MAXX still has 30% left. And this is all 4G LTE, folks. No WiFi, no toggling between 3G and 4G - this is straight LTE the entire time. I should also add that my LTE connection at home never reaches 4 or 5 bars and usually sits somewhere between 2 and 3 which could put some extra strain on the battery. As someone that considers himself to be a "moderate" or normal user, I could not be more pleased with these results. My time with the original RAZR, Galaxy Nexus and Rezound could never get me close to results like these on straight LTE. It took a 3300mAh battery to get us here, but since Moto managed to keep the profile of this phone so thin, I'll take it. How long to charge? I missed this on day 1, but the full charge from 5% to 100% with a Samsung charger took roughly 3 hours. The phone was plugged in at or around 7:15AM and hit the full mark at 10:15AM. Today, I'm going to charge it with the Motorola charger that came with it to see if that will make a difference. Going into day 3, I'm expecting to see similar numbers again. Will report back tomorrow!

This Week In The Life Of DROID: 1/27/2012

Tim — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 16:10:44 +0000

This week we have been able to score a few review units for the RAZR MAXX and LG Spectrum. So starting next week, you will see our reviews and other tidbits pop up for those devices. Along with that, we are sure to hear more rumors about devices that will be making their debut at this year's Mobile World Congress. Will we see the SGSIII? Unfortunately, it isn't looking like it. :(

Hope you all have a safe and wonderful weekend! See you Monday!

Case Review: Ringke Slim for the Galaxy Nexus

Kellen — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 15:22:13 +0000

I may have just stumbled onto the case of my dreams. Say hello to the Ringke SLIM in white for the Samsung Galaxy Nexus. As someone who tends to go nekkid on the case front, this is exactly what I have been looking for. It covers the back to give me a new color without adding much bulk and leaves all of the physical buttons on the side fully exposed. Most importantly though, it doesn't overlap on top of that big beautiful 4.65" screen like so many others. It also has replacement rubber stoppers for the USB and headphone ports to give your bottom half a flush white look and to keep dust out, a leather inside so that it won't scratch, and has a some sort of coating to make the back non-slippery. The extended battery won't work with this case. Will fit the GSM version. The case is not the cheapest on the market at $25.99, but you do get a set of replacement rubber stoppers, screen cleaner, and a screen protector in the package if you are into that sort of thing. Gallery below. Buy.

32GB DROID RAZR Drops in Price Again, Now Just $249 at Verizon

Kellen — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 15:00:32 +0000

For one day only (that being yesterday), the white and black 32GB DROID RAZR was available for $279. Today, another $20 has been hacked off of the price giving you the opportunity to purchase one for $249. It may not pack the 3300mAh battery that Moto included in the RAZR MAXX, but at $249, you are getting somewhat of a decent deal. For $50 less though, you can pick up the 16GB RAZR and then toss in your own micro SD card to get to the same amount of storage. That really is the only difference - an SD card. Buy.

RIM's New Clueless CEO Says that Android Devices are "All the Same"

Kellen — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 14:22:16 +0000

Not that any of you should care, but RIM's co-CEOs stepped down on Sunday leaving the company in that hands of COO Thorsten Heins. What you should care about (or at least get a good laugh out of) is this new CEO - that sat down with the folks at CrackBerry this week - who believes that there is no room for differentiation in the Android platform because the phones we enjoy each day, are "all the same." Now that is interesting. We posted up the 3 options that Blackberry owners have to choose from should they go to any of the major carriers here in the U.S. today. Wildly different, right? No? Oh. And remember, that this is coming from the company that lost 75% of their stock value in 2011 alone and hasn't had a meaningful innovation to the tech realm in years. But damn, I keep digressing! Maybe Mr. Heins should hang out with Mr. Elop to talk Android fragmentation and differentiation, two things that are destroying the world of Android. Seriously Android, get it together. /sarcasm. Via: CrackBerry

Formspring App Now Available For Android - Let Random People Answer Your Important Questions

Tim — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 13:38:38 +0000

When we got the email informing us that an app called Formspring was now available on Android, we had to take to Twitter to figure out what the heck it was. Thanks to our awesome followers, we have been able to figure out that Formspring's purpose is to be a community based around ~~teenagers posting half naked pictures of themselves~~ questions that are either asked anonymously or to a connected profile. Want to ask questions, ~~post pictures that you will regret in 5 years~~, or answer some that have to do with music, technology, or even some of your hobbies? Then Formspring might be a nice place to start. Description from the press release:

The new design will reflect Formspring as it is today - a place where members can not only ask their friends questions, but also discover new people around their interests, interact with favorite celebrities, musicians and publications and participate in a global conversation around a single question.

With the official application, you will be able to handle your profile on the go and of course, answer and ask questions wherever you happen to be. Does anyone here use Formspring? Let us know what you think of it. Market Link

Samsung: We are "Still Reviewing Several Options" When It Comes to the Galaxy SIII Launch

Kellen — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 12:45:25 +0000

During Samsung's Q4 earnings call last night, the company reported all sorts of good news on the profit and earnings front. However, the real question that we were all hoping would receive an answer to, sort of did. When asked what the plans were for the Galaxy SIII, Samsung not only gave an answer, but did not even deny that it was on the way. Matching a report from Wednesday, Sammie claimed that they are still "reviewing" several launch options and will let us all know when they have decided. I know it's not much, but you sort of get the feeling that MWC will not be the unveiling of what may be the device to have in 2012. Audio after the break. Via: SammyHub

Tip: How to Get Custom Ringtones and Notifications to Show on Motorola Devices

Kellen — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 12:25:10 +0000

Before you laugh at this tip, you have to understand that Motorola - for whatever reason - has made it increasingly more difficult with each new version of Blur to set custom ringtones. You used to be able to do it through the stock music app, but that option appears to have been removed. When I first setup my RAZR MAXX yesterday, the first thing I went to do was rid it of those awful DROID ringtones that they continue to include in each phone. While I'm the biggest "DROID" advocate around, the ringtones that Moto has associated with the brand will blow your ear drums in seconds while also making you the angriest person on the planet. But I digress. So, back to this setting of the ringtones business. If you aren't using a ringtone app and are weird or anal like me and create your own, this is how you get them to appear in the "Ringtones" and "Notifications" lists. Since simply dropping them on your SD card or internal storage doesn't work, you will need to follow these simple steps.

Instructions:

1. Download the ringtones or notifications to your internal storage. 2. Create separate folders on your internal storage for "Ringtones" and "Notifications." 3. Drop your custom ringtones and notifications in each. 4. Give your phone all of 3 seconds, cruise into your sound settings and they should appear.

SHADOWGUN: The Leftover is Available in the Android Market Now

Kellen — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 11:45:23 +0000

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78cfk2FokI8[/youtube]

The expansion pack for SHADOWGUN dubbed "The Leftover" is available today in the Android Market. This new addition can be downloaded through the game if you already own it, bringing you 4 new levels, new enemies, new guns, and a whole lot more. For those that do not already own SHADOWGUN, you will have to fork out the $5 for the game to get this expansion pack. Go get some! Market Link Cheers Matthew!

Mod: Inverted Google Apps For Your Galaxy Nexus

Tim — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 11:02:41 +0000

For those of you looking to further your custom ROM experience, then the next step to take is to completely black out all of the Google applications. Thanks to themer travp624 over at RootzWiki, you can grab all of the popular Google apps in all black. Hotness. By inverting the apps, you can give your phone a completely new look and feel. For screen shots, hit each link and check out what your device will look like. Apps available inverted are:

Google+
MMS
Gmail
Market
Gtalk
Contacts
Google Voice
Google Music

For downloads, head on over to Rootz and download each apps zip file. There are individual instructions on flashing for each app, so be sure to read before flashing. Have fun! Via: Rootzwiki

Hands On: Steam Android App Knocks It Out Of The Park, This Is How You Do A Video Game App

Eric — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 10:30:49 +0000

There was a reason why I said that Valve was one of my favorite companies yesterday. We got hooked up with access to the closed beta of the Steam Android application that hit the market yesterday and all I can say is "wow." The app was tested on my Galaxy Nexus and has worked perfectly and better than expected on every aspect of the app, bringing all of the functionality of Steam to your phone, except for the part where it does not play Skyrim.

Compare this to the application that Activision pushed out for Call of Duty: Elite last week and it is almost laughable. From the very moment you boot up the app it works great; no lag, screen resolution sizes to the monster screen and it runs smoothly. You are first taken to the Friends screen where you can open up an instant message and chat with anyone that is online in your Steam friends list. Which means you could be out getting coffee chatting with your friend as he is playing Modern Warfare 3, very cool. But, if you do not want this running in the background you can easily turn it off to save you some battery life.

And then comes the main part of Steam, the store. You can browse though what seems to be their whole catalog and pull up games that interest you. You can even purchase them on your phone and the game will download onto your desktop the next time you login. You can look at Metacritic scores, screenshots and tons of other things for every game in their library. The amount of depth that Valve went into with this application is stunning, and it's only in beta.

There are a few things that do not work, but they are pretty hard to find. Overall, this is how you do a video game application on Android. Too often have we seen companies try and cash in with half-baked apps. But Valve sticking with their overall dedication to making things right, has done a fantastic job on this. I cannot wait until this leaves beta and more people get to experience this great app.

[gallery link="file" columns="4"]

We Still Need Better Tablet Apps [Opinion]

Ron — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 10:05:16 +0000

For the past week I've been spending some quality time with the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1. While I like the hardware for the most part and I don't mind TouchWiz, I've been struggling to find a place for the device in my life. While a large part of it is simply that I'm not entirely convinced that a tablet is the best form factor, I keep finding myself disappointed with the app selection and quality. There are some great apps available for Honeycomb and Ice Cream Sandwich, but overall I've been disappointed time and time again. Twitter I use Twitter all the time, so having a great Twitter app is important to me. I've tried all the apps out there and the official Twitter app remains my favorite (mostly because TweetDeck has become abandonware). Unfortunately, the Twitter team hasn't taken the time to make the Twitter app optimized for tablets, which leads to the hideous layout above. It's usable (though very laggy), but I've been forced to switch between Tweetcaster, Plume, and Tweetcomb, all of which have issues. Perhaps the most maddening part of the situation is not that there are only three tablet optimized Twitter apps, but that Twitter has a tablet optimized version of their app for iOS. Document Editing Another major disappointment was Google Docs. The application has a great view for choosing documents, but once you get into typing up a document you're better off scouring the Market for an actual attempt at a decent app. The Galaxy Tab comes with Quickoffice HD which offers much more functionality (including the option to sync with Google Docs, Dropbox, box, huddle, SugarSync, or mobileme), but lacks some key functionality like inserting a period after two spaces. It really is a shame that Google hasn't done anything to make Google Docs a usable experience. Sure, there's always the option to use the website, but I'd rather have a useful app. Music Apps like Google Music look great on Honeycomb/ICS, but apps like rdio and Google Listen are once again simply blown up apps. Google Listen is the definition of abandonware at this point, but apps like rdio deserve a tablet optimized version (especially since rdio has an app for iPad). Apps like Google Listen and rdio still function properly, but the experience is tolerable at best. Why Google didn't just push Google Listen into Google Music is beyond me. Browser The stock browser offers decent functionality, but it's again limited. The browser performed fine for simple sites like Droid-Life, but it had some seriously delay when loading heavier websites like The Verge. Opera had less issues, but Dolphin Browser HD had the best performance of the three. It's a little disappointing to me that it took downloading a 3rd party browser for me to get a good experience, but I imagine things will improve for the stock browser when ICS is released for the Galaxy Tab. Netflix The Netflix app is a great example of the state of Android apps. The app works fine on the Galaxy Tab, though scrolling through a list of films is very jittery. Playing actual video in the app was great, but the experience of finding a movie to watch was sluggish. It felt like Netflix pushed the app out just to get it out without any intention of really optimizing the performance for browsing. It's a minor issue, sure, but if I'm going to shell out four to five benjamins for a piece of hardware, I'd like to have some assurance that the apps available are high quality. Gaming Over the weekend I played a little Dead Space on a friend's HTC Rezound. I enjoyed the experience, so I figured I'd buy the app to play on the Galaxy Tab. Unfortunately, there is no tablet version of Dead Space. I can't even play the phone version. Many other games like Cut the Rope and Hex Defense are just blown up versions of the app, but there's little reason to expect a tablet optimized version of those apps. Most games played fine, though many could have used some high resolution images so that they looked better when blown up to fit the Galaxy Tab's screen. We Still Need Better Apps I understand that Honeycomb tablets have only been on shelves for eleven months, but I expected there to be better apps on the Market by now. I know the transition from one screen size to another takes time, but I think it's clear that most developers simply don't see the value in optimizing their apps to run on tablets. It makes sense; most tablet owners have an iPad, not an Android tablet. I get it, but that doesn't make me happy about it. It makes it harder for me to recommend something like the Transformer Prime to clients and friends. Sure, it has a keyboard dock, but without a great market of apps it's worse off than a $250 Windows netbook. Google needs to start throwing some of their billions at app developers to ensure that major apps like Netflix have a buttery smooth, reliable, fun experience. Just as importantly, Google's own apps should be optimized for tablets. Gmail looks and works great, but Google Docs is useless. That should never happen. Google's apps should showcase what developers can do with Android. Google's apps should number the best in the Market. Right now, many are among the worst available. Ice Cream Sandwich was a great first step in making Android more usable on tablets, but Google has to know how important apps are in this space. There is no excuse for the official Twitter app to not be optimized for HC/ICS, much less for Google Docs to offer such limited functionality. If Google really wants to compete with Apple, that means we need better apps now.

Custom ROM Friday: Android Open Kang Project For Galaxy Nexus

Tim — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 09:27:22 +0000

The Galaxy Nexus has an outstanding fan base among the developer community and it completely shows when you poke your head into these forums. After receiving plenty of requests for us to post some custom ROM goodness, here is a ROM called the Android Open Kang Project (AOKP). It is based on Android 4.0.3 and has all the features you would hope for when flashing a ROM to your brand new Galaxy Nexus. There are a few main things people look for when flashing ROMs to the G-Nex. They need to be able to switch up the colors on the navigation bar, add system toggles to the notification bar, switch up their lockscreen to have more than just unlock/camera options, and of course they need WiFi tethering. From what we have experienced, you can do all of that and a whole lot more. AOKP comes with the stock 1.2 GHz kernel that is set to an interactive setting. For battery life, it is one of the best I have seen on a device. If you have been looking for a good custom ROM to throw on your device, then look no further. Flashing Instructions:

Download AOKP zip and Gapps zip. (Place both on your phone's storage.)
Create NANDROID backup.
Reboot into ClockworkMod Recovery and wipe data/cache.
Install the AOKP zip.
Once finished installing, then install Gapps zip.
Reboot.
After reboot and setting up your Google account, reboot again.
After you have finished all of those steps, you're ready to party.

For further instructions and info on the Android Open Kang Project, check our their forum entry over at RootzWiki. If you have any troubles, just ask below and we will do our best to help you through the process. Enjoy!

Motorola XYBOARD WiFi Tablets Available Today Starting at $399

Kellen — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 08:53:09 +0000

Why Motorola went with the term "XYBOARD" here in the U.S. is beyond me, but if you want a tablet with such a unique (to put it nicely) name that isn't tied to a carrier and connects via WiFi only, then you can pick one up today. Both the 10.1" and 8.2" models are available in two sizes: 16GB or 32GB. The 16GB 8.2" model runs $399, with the 10.1" starting at $499. Personally at that price, I would recommend the Transformer Prime since it already has Ice Cream Sandwich (XYBOARDs do not), runs a quad-core Tegra 3 processor (XYBOARDs only dual-core OMAP), has an advanced display that is crazy sensitive to touch, and has one of the best cameras a tablet will ever see. Moto, time to rethink your strategy. Buy.

Video: Koush Teases Full Touch-Enabled Clockwork Recovery

Kellen — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 08:19:18 +0000

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pgQ5qaCjR-8[/youtube]

No, this isn't the touch-based Clockwork Recovery that was created for the Galaxy Nexus at the beginning of the month. This is a fully touch-enabled version that no longer uses arrows or physical buttons to get the job done. Our man Koush released a teaser on G+ to get some feedback and to show the progress that he has made. You can't test it yet and he has promised a better UI, so try to be patient. Via: Google+

DROID RAZR MAXX Battery Test Day 1 - The Very First Charge

Kellen — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 07:48:25 +0000

Over the next few days I'm going to do my best to document my DROID RAZR MAXX battery journey with posts like this. Since the big selling point of it is clearly the massive 3300mAh battery that has been tucked inside, this just seems like the right thing to do. So up first is day 1, which with most phones, tends to be one of the worst as far as battery life is concerned.

Day 1

After fillming a quick unboxing of the device, it went straight to the charger so that I could put it through day 1 with a full battery. Unfortunately, I failed to look at how much juice it had before charging and then how long it took to charge. As some have already mentioned, a larger battery may last longer, but it should also take a lot longer to charge. I'll be keeping track going forward. Once it hit 100% - which was about 1:45PM Pacific - it was off the charger until this morning. I decided to go with 4G LTE only for the first few days as I have not had the best of luck with LTE batteries in the past. Both the original RAZR and the Galaxy Nexus could barely get me through 7 hours before I had to dig through my desk to find a charger. With 3300mAh inside though, this should make it through a day, right? Now with any new phone, the first day is the day you traditionally hammer on it the most. It goes through setup, you start testing the call quality and other features, snap the first set of pictures, look at the battery meter every few minutes to see if it has dropped, set up all of your bookmarks in the browser, download must-have apps, etc. I did all of these. From the early afternoon until I passed out somewhere around midnight, the phone still had 31% of its battery remaining. When I awoke this morning, it was begging for a charger at less than 5% charge remaining. I quickly slapped it onto a computer to take screenies, and that's where we stand now.

So a couple of things stood out, most notably the battery drain from voice calls. I took maybe two calls yesterday, but one was around 30 minutes. That single call took 25% of the battery, which is shockingly bad. For a device that is supposed to last through 21.5 hours of call time, we are hoping to see an improvement in this going forward. Again, day 1 usually sucks with almost any phone. The second thing was the time I spent playing the newly released Anomaly Warzone Earth, which after just 12 minutes of playing, robbed 7% of the battery. This isn't all that surprising as a pretty CPU intensive game, but 7% of 3300mAh is a hefty chunk. Will monitor this as well. After day 1, I'm pretty pleased for the most part. It still seems like after 10 hours of use (yesterday afternoon until I went to bed) that it should have had a little more than 31% remaining, but again, that was day 1 and we could see a dramatic improvement over the next few days. The good news is that no other LTE phone would have lasted as long through the beating I put on it.

Flash Video Browser Brings You Full Hulu Just Like on Your PC

Kellen — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 21:17:25 +0000

All I can say to this app is "Wow." If you have grown sick of waiting for Hulu to release some sort of non-membership app or to add your device to their supported list, you may want to check out Flash Video Browser. Using this app, you can watch all the Hulu you could ever dream of, just like you do through a PC browser. No subscription required, just free web-only content that for whatever reason, has been blocked from mobile devices. And here's to hoping that this doesn't get shut down in the next couple of days now that it has started to get some attention. Market Link ($0.99) Cheers Ted!

After Update, Google's Music Manager Allows Download Of All Your Music Straight From The Cloud

Tim — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 17:08:50 +0000

Thanks to a recent update to the Music Manager for Google Music, the search giant is now giving users a single button to download all of their previously uploaded or purchased music straight to their hard drives from the cloud. This was a feature we had been hoping for since its inception, but later is better than ever. Has your computer crashed and now your new PC has no music? Then this should ease your worries about losing your collection. Along with that gem, users can now share YouTube videos of songs they have recently added to their library with their Google+ circles. Once you have uploaded a song, just click the drop down button and hit "share video with circles." Cheers, Google. Via: Google+

Video: LG Spectrum Shows Off ESPN ScoreCenter HD Videos

Kellen — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 16:37:00 +0000

I'm doing my best to give the LG Spectrum a fair shot, but the pluses are struggling to keep up with the minuses to this point. One thing I do have to give it some love for though, is the fact that it streams HD video through ESPN's ScoreCenter app. Actually, it's tough to tell if it actually streams through the app or not. When you press on a video, a separate browser window loads that then asks if you would like to download or "execute" an action - that action is of course, the watching of HD video. So below, I have embedded a video that shows off the high quality streams that only this phone is currently capable of. Talk about impressive for a mobile stream. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJoVwZP_yiI[/youtube]

DROID RAZR and RAZR MAXX Run Identical Software - ROMs and Updates Could Work With Both

Kellen — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 16:13:02 +0000

During the filming of our RAZR MAXX unboxing, we noticed that the device appeared to be running the exact same version of Blur that was introduced to the original RAZR through the last OTA update. We found this odd as we have seen re-hashes of products in the past that while very similar, will still cary slightly different software versions. The problem with manufacturers doing that (and it could be for hardware reasons), is that they need to develop separate OTA updates for each specific device. And when they have to work on two different updates, that usually means it will take longer for end users to receive them. Well what if that isn't the case with the RAZR MAXX? By all accounts, the MAXX is identical on the hardware front to the RAZR aside from a bigger battery, and now that we can see that they run the same software, in theory they should be able to run each other's ROMs and OTA updates. Take a look at the two About screens for the devices below:

As you can see, they run the same kernel, Webtop software, Blur build, version of Android, and were built on the same date. It's the same software, folks. Our brave friends over at the Android Source ran with our discovery and actually flashed a ROM and the leaked OTA update that we posted earlier in the week with success. Now, you need be very careful in doing something along these lines, but the early signs point to everything being interchangeable that has been done on these two phones. That may be a first. Cheers Timothy!

Anomaly Warzone Earth HD Hits Android, Turns Tower Defense Into Offense

Tim — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 15:00:25 +0000

There are almost too many tower defense games to count, however, it was only a matter of time that someone would come along and properly create a tower offense game. Anomaly Warzone Earth HD takes place in the year 2018, where a huge comet has struck the earth and has landed right on top of a major city which US forces have now gone in to investigate. In this game, you play as the attacker instead of the defender. The player uses resources strategically to create forces that will help you destroy the opposing sides. If you love yourself some strategy games, then this should be right up your alley. It will run you $4 in the Market, but with hours of gameplay, you should feel justified in the purchase. Let us know hat you think down below. Market Link ($3.99) [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=esLGkWw0HCc[/youtube]

Valve Releases Official Steam Application For Android, Available For Download But Still In Closed Beta

Eric — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 14:20:44 +0000

If there was one application that I have been waiting for since I came to Android, it would be an official application for Steam. If you are not aware, Steam is the brainchild of Valve Corporation, a video game company. Steam launched a few years back and has become the single largest online distributor of games in the world. Steam changed the way that video games were designed, distributed and played. And with this mobile app they are looking to bring all that to your phone.

But upon installation and login you are told that the app is in beta and that "they will be sending out more invites shortly." Frustrating but perfectly fine in my book. If there is one company that I do not mind taking their time, it is Valve. They will take however long necessary to make something as perfect as they want it to be (which is why I still do not have Episode 3 in my greedy hands). So be patient gamers, the app will be opened when it is ready and it will be awesome.

Market Link

Cheers Bjorn!

HTC Rezound Update to 2.01.605.11 is Available Now

Kellen — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 14:06:48 +0000

HTC Rezound owners, the 2.01.605.11 update is ready to be pulled to your device. Head into Settings>Software update (I believe) and it should be there waiting for you. Cheers to everyone who sent this in!

Motorola Sold 1 Million Tablets in All of 2011, 5.3 Million Smartphones in Q4

Kellen — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 13:42:04 +0000

Motorola published their Q4 and full 2011 earnings report today, giving us a look at potentially their final pre-Google numbers. While the merger with Google is still wrapping up, they are no longer doing live calls, so unfortunately, we are left without any gem quotes from CEO Sanjay Jha. Instead we will have to do the boring thing and look at sales figures. The first thing that stood out to me was the fact that they sold 1 million tablets total throughout 2011. After launching in late February, the XOOM's rocky start was documented across the internet, with many calling it a flat out flop. It depends on what your definition of "flop" is, but after looking at what the iPad continued to do (15+ million last quarter) and what the XOOM and almost every other Android tablet could not, I'd be willing to go down that road. 1 million, in an entire year. The other big number was smartphone sales for Q4 which Moto pegged at 5.3 million. That's up from their Q4 of 2010, but Samsung is expected to announce numbers 7 times that on Friday. It's sort of sad to see Motorola, who was once on top of this Android game slip into mediocrity as they await the takeover by Google. Sure, they have created some nice handsets in the RAZR and RAZR MAXX (our unboxing), but it still feels like if they took one more handset down the road of the original DROID, that they may rise back up again. We all know what I mean by that sentence, I'm just not sure they ever will. Full Q4 earnings report here.

DROID RAZR MAXX Unboxing and Quick Hands-on

Kellen — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 13:05:58 +0000

And there she is, the DROID RAZR MAXX and its 3300mAh battery back in our hands. After a quick tour of the device at CES, we have it again to hopefully see if it can live up to the massive single-charge numbers that Motorola was touting. The hardware for the most part is exactly the same as the original RAZR with a 1.2GHz dual-core OMAP4430 processor, 1GB of RAM, 8MP shooter and 4G LTE connectivity, so rather than putting together a full review, we may end up just doing a whole bunch of battery tests. We'll see over the next couple of days how things go and may change our minds on that. For now though, enjoy the quick unboxing and comparison shots to the regular RAZR after the break. We have the MAXX on the charger now so that we can start pounding on it within the next couple of hours.

Unboxing:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2IBlpwEnyLs[/youtube]

Gallery:

RAZR MAXX vs. RAZR:

(RAZR MAXX on the right and on top in case you could not tell.)

HTC: "We Tried To Do Too Much" In 2011, Will Give Customers Something Special In 2012

Tim — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 12:39:16 +0000

When HTC announced their Q4 earnings a couple weeks ago, you could sense that they weren't exactly excited about their end-of-the-year performance. Overall though, HTC says they had a pretty decent 2011. Since then, there have been many discussions over the path that HTC would take to compete against Apple and Samsung in the new year. For their 2012 goals, they will focus on fewer devices and a greater concern for their customer's experience. HTC's UK chief, Phil Roberson said this to Mobile UK:

We have to get back to focusing on what made us great – amazing hardware and a great customer experience. We ended 2011 with far more products than we started out with. We tried to do too much. So 2012 is about giving our customers something special. We need to make sure we do not go so far down the line that we segment our products by launching lots of different SKUs.

HTC will also take a submissive roll in the tablet market this year and will spend their time focusing on smartphones. From what we already know about their 2012 lineup of devices, we can expect the HTC Fireball, which is rumored to become Verizon's first 4G LTE Global device later this year. Could we see HTC's rebirth at this year's Mobile World Congress with the announcement of the Fireball or possibly even a quad-core device or two? Via: Mobile Today

Amazon Selling Galaxy Nexus for $99 to New Customers

Kellen — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 12:06:07 +0000

Thinking of signing up for Verizon service as a new customer and want the Galaxy Nexus? Amazon has it for $99. You won't find a cheaper price anywhere, to my knowledge. If you are a current customer though, don't expect to pay the same price, as the online retail giant still has it listed for around $260 on renewals.. Buy. Cheers Ron Perlman's Jaw!

Polkast Offers You PC Access From Anywhere a la MotoCast, Only it Works on All Android Phones and Tablets

Kellen — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 11:27:32 +0000

One of my favorite features that Motorola has built into their newest versions of Blur is MotoCast. As someone that is on the go a fair amount, yet still needs access to files stored on my home computers, it has come in handy more than a few times. Since I have mostly migrated to the Galaxy Nexus as my daily driver for now, I have been looking for a decent alternative. A reader may have found it for me in an app called Polkast. The service acts almost identical to MotoCast in that it takes minutes to setup on each of your computers and is then instantly accessible on your phone over WiFi or data. It defaults to pulling in your music, pictures, videos and documents folders from your computer, but adding in additional locations is super easy. It also has this "recent" section that recognizes a handful of your most recently added computer files, just in case you need to access one immediately. While there are a few tweaks that I would offer the developers (like the ability to turn off the constant notification or cloud music playing without having to download), I'm impressed for the most part. Oh yeah, it's also free. Market Link [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-znhyxcw2I[/youtube] Cheers Jeff!

Mostly Working DROID RAZR Stock Ice Cream Sandwich ROM Released

Kellen — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 10:55:10 +0000

A developer booted up Ice Cream Sandwich on the DROID RAZR a few weeks back, but last night, an almost fully-working ROM was released. Technically still in "alpha," this ROM has working 3G/4G, Google Apps (except Google Talk), touch screen, and phone. The list of non-working features includes the camera (no surprise there), adb and the downloading of apps from the Market. Those all seem like normal first release ROM issues to me that are almost always worked out over time. Feel free to give it a shot. Oh, you need to make sure you are on .748 kernel though, not the new .173 leak. To see the ROM in action, jump to the 7:00 mark in the video below. Instructions at the source. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4hOuh5m9V8I[/youtube] Via: DroidRzr Cheers Josh!

HTC Rezound Has Secret Global Radios After All?

Kellen — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 09:06:50 +0000

So the HTC Rezound now has an unlockable bootloader, one of the best screens in the mobile universe, Beats audio enhancements, a stellar $199 price tag, and now global radios that work without an unlock code? Nice work, HTC. The back story is as follows. A UK user of XDA ordered the phone over the holidays hoping that it would work on T-Mobile. Sure enough, after slapping in a SIM card and changing the network settings to "WCDMA Only," he had a connection and data. Verizon and HTC are apparently claiming that the phone does not have global capabilities, but this thread has been going strong for a few weeks now with more evidence mounting by the day that it indeed does. If you have a Rezound and are traveling overseas any time soon, feel free to hit up the source link for instructions on how to get your phone up and roaming the globe. Via: XDA

LG Spectrum Update Also on the Way, Version VS920ZV4 Fixes a Netflix Playback Issue

Kellen — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 09:05:31 +0000

And just like the HTC Rezound, the LG Spectrum has an update on the way. It's as minor as it gets and will simply fix Netflix playback. Yep, that's it. We will have a full review of the device up within the next week or so, but you can view our early unboxing here. More info. Cheers to everyone who sent this in!

Blurwich Lock Screen Available for Those With GO Locker

Kellen — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 08:34:05 +0000

The lock screen from the leaked Ice Cream Sandwich build for the Motorola RAZR that snuck out yesterday has already been turned into a GO Locker theme. It will cost you a buck, but at least you can get a taste of Moto's attempt at skinning Android 4.0 before it goes officially public. The developer also wants you to know that this is basically an "alpha" since it was based off of one photo. Market Link ($0.99) Cheers zyghost!

Electronic Frontier Foundation Petitioning To Keep Rooting And Jailbreaking Phones and Tablets Legal

Eric — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 07:54:30 +0000

In 2010 the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) was passed to help stem the ever present problem of copyrighting media in the digital age. The Electronic Frontier Foundation worked hard though to get a few exemptions to this bill, namely protecting remix videos from being taken down and phones being jailbroken; or rooted. Now, these exemptions are up for renewal this year and not only is the EFF asking for help renewing the two exemptions they have now, they want to expand the exemptions to cover rooting tablets and jailbreaking video game consoles as well.

This is quite a big deal, because if these exemptions do not get renewed it would technically be illegal to root your phone allowing any company who wishes to come after you in court. The biggest case of this would be Sony taking legal action against George Hotz, a man who figured out how to jailbreak the Playstation 3 and put it on the internet. The EFF has a full page dedicated to the rooting exemptions needed along with a petition to sign and a place to send comments directly to the U.S. Copyright Office. There are somewhere near 5,000 signatures already, let's add our names to make sure we can keep hacking our phones as much as we want.

Via: EFF Website | Petition

HTC Rezound Update to 2.01.605.11 is on the Way - Improves Audio Quality, Device Stability and More

Kellen — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 07:30:47 +0000

The HTC Rezound has its first major update on the way according to Verizon's support pages. The update is a decent size at 52.5MB, improving audio during calls, resolving a task manager issue, updating the signal strength indicator to 5 bars, and addressing overall stability. The new build is 2.01.605.11 with a new baseband of 0.95.00.10118r. Normally when we see these documents, the update rolls out within a week or two. Let us know if pops up! More info. Cheers to everyone who sent this!

DROID RAZR MAXX Available Now From Verizon Wireless for $299

Kellen — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 22:11:18 +0000

The DROID RAZR MAXX is available now from Verizon Wireless. For $299, you can have one of the thinnest 4G LTE phones on the planet that somehow manages to house a 3300mAh battery. If battery life was ever a concern for you with current LTE tech, this is the phone for you. According to Motorola, this phone should provide you with 21+ hours of talk time, over 2.5 days of streamed music, and days upon days while sitting idle. You can view our CES hands-on with the device here. Buy.

Costco to Offer $50 Discount on Galaxy Nexus From February 2 Through February 26

Kellen — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 19:01:22 +0000

Still waiting for the opportunity to jump on the Samsung Galaxy Nexus? During the month of February, Costco will run a promotion that could save you $50 off of the world's first Android 4.0 device. That may not be as cheap as some of the online retailers like Amazon, but with Costco's 90 day return policy on phones, their deals should almost always be considered. In an Android world that changes every couple of months, we could have a quad-core beast to drool over in 90 days. Cheers Trey!

New Verizon MAP Shows DROID 4 Price Drop to $199, Bionic and 32GB RAZRs Discounted Too

Kellen — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 18:45:14 +0000

According to the most recent MAP (minimum advertised price) list from Verizon, a handful of popular DROID phones will see a discount tomorrow morning. The most interesting of them all is the DROID 4 which has still not been given a public release date. During CES week, we saw the price first appear on this list at $249, but if this new list holds up, we could see the device launch at just $199 on 2-year contract. I'd call that a deal knowing that this phone is the world's thinnest and probably most powerful 4G LTE slider. You can view our hands-on with the device here. Along with the D4 price drop, the Bionic should fall to $149 and both white and black 32GB DROID RAZR models should come in at $279. So not only is tomorrow DROID RAZR MAXX launch day, but you can score some deals at Verizon on a variety of other phones. Cheers ___!

Wednesday Poll: First Accessory You Buy After Getting a New Phone?

Kellen — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 16:49:17 +0000

We are well aware that many of you are accessory hounds. Whenever you purchase a new phone, our inbox fills up with questions about this dock or that case or if this battery is worth the extra couple of bucks. But is there something in particular that you purchase before even walking out of the store with your new phone? Is there an accessory that you feel makes your smartphone experience complete? Are you looking for added protection, battery life, or extra multimedia functionality? And depending on what the product is, feel free to let us know all about it in the comments. For example, if you can't live without a specific brand's case, let us know what it is. [poll id="128"]

Accessory Review: kuel f60Q Mobile Battery Charger

Kellen — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 15:37:55 +0000

A portable battery charger is something that almost everyone should own in this day and age. With LTE radios and massive HD screens sucking the life out of our phones in just a few hours at times, you may need quick on-the-go power on a regular basis. There are a variety of options out there, but after having the kuel f60Q for a few weeks now, I can easily say that this should make your short list of portable chargers to consider. First, it's pretty damn stylish for a portable charger. Some of the options we have seen in the past tend to be massive black tanks that you would be embarrassed to pull out in public. The kuel f60Q looks clean, minimal, and might even impress your friends at an LTE hand-holding spritzer party. But the point of this device is not looks, so let's talk about how it performs. It packs a 6,000 mAh battery cell that can recharge a standard phone around 3 times before needing to refuel. It works on both Android and Apple products, so if you invest in the kuel f60Q, you know that it won't be locked down to just a couple of your personal tech gadgets. Its charging port weighs in at 10W, which is enough juice to get your phone charged in almost no time, hence the "quick charger" name that is embedded on the side. To give you an idea, I dropped by Galaxy Nexus down to about 15%, plugged it into the kuel for about an hour and a half and was at 97%. That's as good as a wall charger. What about the price? It's not cheap. At $124.99 there are less expensive options out there that have larger battery cells. So if you are in the market for a portable charger (and as I mentioned earlier, you should be), you will need to decide if you want a slim, sleek, and stylish option that is easily packable and will charge your phone in no time, or if you want to save a few bucks and go with a tank that may get you twice the life.

More info.

Rumor: Samsung Will Not Announce the Galaxy SIII at MWC Next Month After All

Kellen — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 14:58:34 +0000

A variety of sources reported within the last couple of hours that Samsung may not introduce their next flagship device, the Galaxy SIII, at Mobile World Congress in February after all. No specific details were given as to why they would delay such an anticipated launch, but insiders told The Verge that they should at least expect it to be out "before summer." Disappointing, to say the least. Could this have anything to do with Samsung looking to push a worldwide launch this time around? As you all know, the Galaxy SII was introduced at last year's MWC yet failed to make its way to the States until the fall. Much of the rest of the world had had the devices for months by that time. With the Galaxy SIII, many speculated that Samsung would try to make the devices available everywhere at the same time, rather than the slow rollout that we all experienced with their first couple of Galaxy series devices. Samsung is still expected to have some sort of presence at MWC even if they have chosen to move an SGS3 announcement. Via: The Verge, Chip, BestBoyz

Producteev Hits Android Market, Syncs Up Your Tasks Across Multiple Platforms

Eric — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 14:44:08 +0000

Let me introduce you to Producteev, the latest task manager to hit Android with its official release today. This task manager is a bit different from the other ones in that you can find it on almost any device that you own. Got a Windows machine? They have an app. Their app is also in the App Store for iPhone and the Mac App Store as well. With all these different platforms, the big push is tasks in the cloud that you can add to one place and have them appear in another. The app is a little more diverse in allowing you to create different workspaces for different types of tasks and even lets you sync with other people, allowing one person to assign a task to a group of people so this could be used in an office or work setting very easily.

Installation of the Mac app was easy and signing up is a breeze. As soon as I figure out how to sync this with my Google Calendar (a feature that it says it does) I am going to take a serious look at this. I have needed an app to remind me to take the trash out for a while now. Head on over to the Android Market and see if it will help yourself.

Market Link

Motorola Sues Apple in Florida Court for Patent Infringement, iPhone 4S One of the Targets

Kellen — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 13:42:13 +0000

Motorola took its battle with Apple to a Florida court today, claiming that a couple of the Cupertino giant's products including the iPhone 4S infringe upon six of of their patents. The patents involve technologies that utilize wireless antennae, software, data filtering and messaging. This suit follows up Moto's win in German courts last month, a case that could force a ban on iPhones and iPads in the country. Ugh. Via: Reuters

Sonic The Hedgehog 4, Episode 1 Now Available On Android

Tim — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 13:38:02 +0000

I can imagine Kip Dynamite's excitement after hearing this one. Episode 1 of Sonic the Hedgehog 4 is finally available for Android. After being an exclusive to iOS (how many times have we said before?), we have another great game to spend our precious time on. Sonic 4 picks up right where Sonic and Knuckles left off. Burn through these levels and fight that jerk Dr. Eggman and show him who's boss. For just $4, you're going to be reliving the best years of your life. Market Link ($3.99)

Lytro Camera Technology in Smartphones? Yes, Please.

Kellen — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 12:46:41 +0000

If there was one new tech invention of the last year that will actually change the game and can blow the minds of even non-techies, it is easily the Lytro camera. Not familiar with Lytro? I'll do my best to sum it up. The Lytro camera takes "living photos" that can be manipulated well after they have been taken. And when I say "manipulated," I'm not talking about some Photoshop trickery or a hipster filter. I'm talking about refocusing it on a different area over and over again. This camera captures the entire light field "which is all the light traveling in every direction in every point in space" or dimension. The camera itself takes instant photos with no shutter lag and no need to deal with an autofocus. Since the focusing happens on objects of your choice after the photo has been taken, you don't have to worry about it during the shot. So, you get insanely fast photos and the perfect shot that you decide on afterwards. Make sense? In an interview with PCWorld, the Lytro executive chairman Charles Chi talked about the future of their product and where they could see it headed. Smartphones are obviously on everyone's minds these days when it comes to new technology, so Chi provided some thoughts saying:

If we were to apply the technology in smartphones, that ecosystem is, of course, very complex, with some very large players there. It's an industry that's very different and driven based on operational excellence. For us to compete in there, we'd have to be a very different kind of company. So if we were to enter that space, it would definitely be through a partnership and a codevelopment of the technology, and ultimately some kind of licensing with the appropriate partner.

So no definitive confirmations on Lytro coming to a cell phone near you any time soon, but can we start a campaign to help make it happen? Some of the top complaints we see time and time again when it comes to smartphones, have to do with cameras. And when it comes to cameras, we see a lot of issues with shutter lag and focusing, something the Lytro bypasses. Overview of Lytro: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7babcK2GH3I[/youtube] Demo: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRQcCVY5wIo[/youtube] Via: PCWorld | More on Lytro

Download: LG Spectrum System Dump

Kellen — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 12:13:46 +0000

Thanks to a community friend, we now have the full system dump from the LG Spectrum if anyone is interested in poking around in it. He even pulled out the apps and media separately, since those tend to be the most requested files from a new phone. And yes, the HD ESPN ScoreCenter app is included, although it's technically a step back from today's update since it does not have the new notification service. Downloads: Apps and Media | System Dump Cheers CG!

NVIDIA Hints At Possible 3D-Esque Version of Rovio's Angry Birds?

Tim — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 11:31:16 +0000

According to NVIDIA's VP of Mobile Content, Rovio may be looking into ways of making Angry Birds more visually complex for users. Speaking at the Mobile Game Forum, Mr. Trevett was quoted as saying, "Let's just say Angry Birds can do a lot more. There's lots of things Rovio could do in terms of particle effects or volcanoes exploding in the background." In no way did he come out and say 3D Angry Birds, but he did mention that there was no reason Rovio could not move into using 3D physics engines for the creation of their games. So should we all keep our ears perked for a possible 3D Angry Birds? I would play it. Via: Pocket Gamer

LG Spectrum Unboxing and First Impressions

Kellen — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 11:06:58 +0000

Our brief moment with the LG Spectrum at CES 2012 was exactly that, brief. In order to give this new release from LG and Verizon a shot at taking top Android phone honors from the Galaxy Nexus, we had to get one in hand for an extended period of time. Today marks the start of our quest to put the Spectrum through the ringer to decide if this reasonably priced ($199 on contract), yet highly spec'd phone is worth your money. With a 4.5" HD display, 1.5GHz dual-core processor, 8MP shooter, and 4G LTE connectivity, this phone is by no means a slouch on the hardware front. Does it have enough polish on the UI side to make it a winner though? We will soon find out. For now, let's see what it looks like in hand and out of the box. Unboxing: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGk8KEQgUg0[/youtube] Gallery:

Say Hello To Minicraft, 8-Bit Minecraft Goodness For Your Android Device

Tim — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 10:24:32 +0000

Who doesn't love a well put together 8-bit game? From the creator of the underground cult classic Minecraft, comes Minicraft. Created as a contest entry, Notch gives you life in a world of finite resources. After your resources have been depleted though, it is time to kill the Air Wizard. You explore the world, chop down trees, mine rocks, and of course, kill zombies. But unlike Minecraft, Minicraft has a single purpose:

The goal of the game is to kill the only other sentient being in the world, making sure you’ll be alone forever.

Kind of a sad theme, but let's face it, Notch is a genius. Controls were a bit tough at first, but if you have the right amount of screen real estate, then getting the hang of it shouldn't be too difficult. It was created for PC, but has been unofficially ported to Android by Folstad Consulting Inc. Cheers to them for allowing us to play this great game on our mobile devices. Down below is a YouTube video of the Yogscast performing a livestream of the game. It will most definitely give a helping sense of how the game works. Market Link [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEvfkXd2iXg[/youtube] Via: Phandroid

Ice Cream Sandwich for the GSM Motorola RAZR Leaks, Our First Look at Blurwich

Kellen — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 09:29:53 +0000

Ready to see Motorola's early plans for Ice Cream Sandwich and Blur (Blurwich?)? Thanks to a leaked Android 4.0.3 build for the GSM RAZR, we get exactly that. At first glance, you can definitely see Moto's icon set, although it appears to be slightly unfinished. The browser icon that is included in these pictures is of the stock ICS browser, so we could see that change. The camera app also doesn't look any different than what we have now, but the lock screen most definitely is with its 4-option approach. Also, you will notice that the home screens are essentially unBlurred, something that has to change, right? This is most definitely an early, early build that may see a dramatic turn for the worse by the time it reaches our handsets. So far, it doesn't look all that bad. Verizon DROID RAZR owners, no you cannot flash this. The file is available at the source link below if you would like to poke around in it though.

Via: DroidRzr Cheers Josh and arcanexvi!

Evernote, ESPN ScoreCenter and Evi All Receive Updates on Android

Kellen — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 09:12:48 +0000

Two of our favorite apps along with an up-and-comer received updates this morning that you may be interested. Evernote - the #1 note app on the planet - now creates automatic titles if you forget to, has improved layout for images and audio attachments, and should perform at a much swifter pace. ESPN ScoreCenter finally received Ice Cream Sandwich improvements, but the big story here is the breaking news notifications to tell you when games start, periods end, and what the final score was. Evi on the other hand appears to be struggling still from server overload. Today's update included bug fixes, but we can't really know since the app itself fails to produce any results still. Market Links: Evernote | ESPN ScoreCenter | Evi

First Batch of Chinese New Year Android Collectibles Sell Out in Minutes, Next Set Available at 11PM EST

Kellen — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 08:22:17 +0000

Dead Zebra put their latest themed set of Android collectibles up for sale early this morning and as expected, sold out in minutes. The 3 traditional Chinese New Year minis are some of their finest yet, with more detail than you'll find in some action figures. As a collector, this is a set that you should do whatever it takes to obtain. If you missed this morning's sale, you have another chance tonight at 11PM EST. Buy. Cheers Mike!

Galaxy Nexus Not Involved in Slide-to-Unlock Apple Patent Case?

Kellen — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 08:10:27 +0000

According to an unnamed Samsung official that spoke with the Korea Herald, the Galaxy Nexus lock screen is not actually the target in Apple's latest patent lawsuit against the company in Germany. To recap, FOSS Patents had originally reported that the Nexus may violate Apple's slide-to-unlock patent, and that it was their newest target to try and rid the world of Android. The Samsung official had this to say:

“We’re aware that there was a hearing involving Apple’s slide-to-unlock feature after our patent infringement case last Friday and a series of products in the Galaxy lineup were accused there, but what we’ve discovered is that the Galaxy Nexus wasn’t one of them,” the company official said.

Well, cross that off the list? Should we assume that they are attacking some other Samsung product for using some sort of slide-to-unlock screen? Seems odd, especially knowing the careful measures that Sammie has taken to make their lock screens not slide-to-unlock. In fact, in the newest versions of TouchWiz, you have to touch the screen to activate it, and can then move your finger to either side to trigger the lock to unlock. On older phones, you slide the entire screen off to unlock rather than use a sliding bar mechanism. And the patent war rolls on... Via: Korea Herald, Android Central

Google to Combine Privacy Policies From Variety of Products Including Android, Put the Tin Foil Hats Away

Kellen — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 17:08:35 +0000

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGghlPmebCY[/youtube]

Google announced this afternoon that they would combine the individual privacy policies from a variety of their products into one "main policy," giving you a single sign-on of sorts. The idea is to treat you as "a single user across all" products to provide you with a "more intuitive Google experience." Critics and conspiracy theorists are already screaming with privacy concerns, but as far as I can tell, the services Google provides should simply get better and things really aren't changing all that much. To get started though, here is the excerpt that has people up in arms:

But there’s so much more that Google can do to help you by sharing more of your information with … well, you. We can make search better—figuring out what you really mean when you type in Apple, Jaguar or Pink. We can provide more relevant ads too. For example, it’s January, but maybe you’re not a gym person, so fitness ads aren’t that useful to you. We can provide reminders that you’re going to be late for a meeting based on your location, your calendar and an understanding of what the traffic is like that day. Or ensure that our spelling suggestions, even for your friends’ names, are accurate because you’ve typed them before. People still have to do way too much heavy lifting, and we want to do a better job of helping them out.

So Google is telling you that with a single privacy policy, that they think they can make your experience more natural and simple. I think the scary thing is that they appear to want to collect more data than ever and use it. Whether you want that to happen or not, you are just going to have to accept it, for the most part. Thankfully, they continue to stand by their "we do not sell your data" approach even in this new policy. And I fully understand how data collection can scare people, but from what I can tell, this new privacy policy doesn't appear to have changed as much as some are claiming. Rather than having 60+ Google services collecting data on you into separate profiles, they will simply combine that into one. If you want certain data withheld, you can take quite a bit of it out by utilizing things like your Google dashboard, their Ads Manager, and even ask that they not collect data at all from some services. Google even recommends that you block cookies in your browser if you are wanting to block their data collecting out completely. Now, not all services will work to their fullest, but that can be said for cookie blocking at almost any website these days. I think what has people concerned, is that Google has already been under fire for privacy and anti-trust issues, so a policy change like this is going to draw attention. What we would recommend is that you read through the list of links we have below which includes both the old and new privacy policies. You will see for yourself that not much as changed and that your tin foil hat can sit in the closet for another couple of weeks. Well, until March 1 rolls around and this new policy takes effect. Via: Google | New Terms of Service | New Privacy Policy | Old Privacy Policy

Asus Tweets That Unlock Tool For Transformer Prime Should Be Available In February

Tim — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 16:15:31 +0000

Hot off the presses is a tweet sent out from the main Asus Twitter account, stating that the bootloader unlock tool should be available for the masses in February. After discovery by the community that the Transformer Prime shipped out completely locked down, there was mass plea for the company to release a tool to unlock it and make it the great tablet it has been advertised as. If you are not concerned with warranties and other things associated with unlocking and rooting your Android devices, then this should be right up you alley. And with February literally right around the corner, we should start seeing a lot of movement start up in the Transformer Prime development forums. Via: Twitter, Android Central

RetailMeNot Launches Mobile Site For On The Go Savers

Tim — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 15:30:49 +0000

There are plenty of people who enjoy saving money with RetailMeNot. It's a site that gives everyone access to coupons that are valid for thousands of stores nationwide. And starting now, they have launched a mobile site that looks fantastic on your smartphone or tablet if you are on the go. Go save some money and spend the cash you saved on apps! Mobile Site Cheers SeaNanners!

DROID Family of Phones [Art]

Kellen — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 14:45:54 +0000

Reader Zachary W. submitted the colored pencil piece that we have included above as a tribute to the DROID family of phones. From what I can tell, is covered them all and even included the DROID Eris of all phones. As a high schooler with a future in art and who has already won Congressional art competitions for previous work, we thought sharing would be appropriate. More of his work can be found after the break including his award winning piece and an another related to Android.

Developer Combines Android OS And Kinect, Creates Minority Report Like Experience

Tim — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 14:10:40 +0000

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHB2Fwbf-ck[/youtube]

Bloggers, media personalities, and tech enthusiasts alike are abuzz over a video of a developer showing off his latest creation. He has taken an Xbox Kinect and hooked it up to his PC which is then wired to his Galaxy Nexus. Thanks to Android's openness, he has been able to rebuild a version of Android to give the needed software system access for the process to work. In short, the Kinect sees his hand movements, relays it to the PC, which then relays it to his phone. Description from the video:

The Galaxy Nexus is running a build of Android compiled from AOSP. This allows the Android TUIO client to be signed with the system keys so that it can inject touch events into the system. Simple Kinect touch running on a Windows PC is used to send TUIO events to the Android device. The Galaxy Nexus is connected to the projector with a MHL adapter.

The developer has stated that it is in early phases, so don't go out and buy a Kinect just yet. We are all looking forward to more of this though. Cheers everyone who sent this in!

Latest Galaxy SIII Rumor Suggests ICS, 12MP Camera, HD Screen and an April Release

Kellen — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 13:28:56 +0000

Eldar Murtazin has found himself in the news again after tweeting last night that he is either in possession of or has seen a Samsung Galaxy SIII. For those not familiar with Murtazin, just know that he spouts off all the time about tech rumors and either misses wildly or ends up being right on rare occasions. Since he is claiming to have played with the phone that we are all dying to see in the flesh, we'll try to take his word for it. So what should we expect? According to Murtzie, the device will have an HD screen, 12MP camera, run Ice Cream Sandwich, have a 1.5-1.6GHz quad-core processor and will be in stores by April. No word on whether or not that means in the U.S., but one can dream. The device is almost guaranteed to get an official announcement at Mobile World Congress next month in Barcelona. Can't wait. Via: Twitter, (2), Phone Arena

Apple Reportedly Spent $100 Million in First Patent Case With HTC, We Laugh a Little

Kellen — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 12:38:18 +0000

Newsweek's technology editor Dan Lyons took to his personal blog yesterday to report on a spicy rumor that had cruised into his inbox concerning Apple and their patent war with HTC. According to his source, Apple spent upwards of $100 million in their first patent suit with HTC, a case that provided them with what most would consider a minimal win. In fact, that $100 million (which is unconfirmed by the way) awarded them justice over a single feature (the original suit was 10 patents) that HTC already claims to have a work-around for. Yikes. No licensing deal was struck - HTC simply plans to manipulate their products to avoid any further issues. I think we all know that Steve Jobs hated Android with a passion. He claimed that it was a "stolen" product and that he was willing to go "thermonuclear war" and spend every last billion that Apple had in the bank to try and right what he considered a wrong. At this point though, hasn't this whole Apple vs. Android battle started to look like a company acting not as a business, but as someone with a personal vendetta? OK, that may be stating the obvious. That's exactly what it appears like. I would just worry that they are basing major business decisions off of emotion, which can be one heck of a scary thing- and I don't mean for their competitors. Via: Dan Lyons

Tip: Replacement Galaxy Nexus LTE Battery Covers With "Google" Logo Likely Do Not Fit, Even Though They Claim to

Kellen — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 12:12:57 +0000

From day 1 with the Galaxy Nexus, many of you (including the DL crew) have been on the hunt for a Google-branded replacement battery cover. In fact, we tried swapping our GSM cover with the Verizon-branded cover the minute we got the device and came up empty. Something about having a "Nexus" without a Google logo on the back just drives some of us die-hards nuts. Since then, we have searched the web for possible replacements. After all, accessory companies could probably make a pretty penny off of these skinny pieces of plastic should they make one that would actually fit. So far, none have worked including the one we have pictured up top that was purchased from Amazon. This post is really just a heads-up to not purchase it even though it says it will fit the SCH-I515 aka the LTE Nexus. As you can see from the picture, when you get it snapped into place, it doesn't fit properly and bows a bit in the middle. Also, I took a knife to it a number of times to try and shave off pieces in order to get this sucker to fit and still ran into issues. At almost $20 a pop, proceed with caution. If you stumble upon one that fits, be sure to let us know!

Recent OTA Update For Transformer Prime Already Rooted

Tim — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 12:00:26 +0000

If you are into the rooting game and have yourself a new Transformer Prime, then you will be glad to hear that the newest OTA update that it received has already been rooted by the folks over at XDA. Just a quick download and a few commands in ADB, then you will be enjoying your new quad-core Android tablet with full superuser access. Have fun and be safe! Via: XDA Cheers DroidHAM!

Evernote and Skitch Add-Ons Now Available For Dolphin Browser

Tim — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 11:25:48 +0000

We love it when companies can team up to provide users with an exceptional experience. One of the most popular 3rd-party web broswers, Dolphin Browser, has got together with Evernote and Skitch to bring new add-ons to their browser. The Skitch add-on allows for you to draw on any webpage, then send and share it anywhere you would like. It adds an excellent way of personalizing something for a friend or just doodling for fun. The Evernote addition will let users take any piece of a page they're viewing and save it to the cloud for later use. You will have access to it in your Evernote account anywhere you are. Dolphin says they have a ton of other great add-ons planned for 2012, so we'll keep you posted. Market Link Via: Dolphin Blog

Verizon Sold 15 Million Android Phones and 10.8 Million iPhones in 2011

Kellen — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 10:46:01 +0000

During a Q4 earnings call discussion with analysts this morning, Verizon's CFO Fran ~~ShamWow~~ Shammo dropped a variety of numbers that I'm sure will spark up interesting conversations throughout the day. After a full year of the iPhone on Big Red's network, we have the first set of numbers to compare how it sold versus the Android army. I think it's safe to say that the iPhone 4 and its slight rehash in October did not bring the world of green robots to a screeching halt as so many had predicted last January. It obviously outsold every single Moto, HTC, Samsung or LG phone on their own, but in this world, it's all about OS market share. Verizon sold 15 million Android phones and 10.8 million iPhones over the course of 2011. During Q4 alone, VZW knocked out 7.7 million smartphones which helped account for 70% of their entire 2-year contract wireless sales. 4.3 million of those were iDevices, while the other 3 million were a mix of Android, Blackberry and Windows Phone 7. We should point out that analysts were a little concerned that while Big Red managed to sell record numbers of phones, that their revenues were not looking so hot thanks to the "cost of doing business with Apple." With high subsidies on Apple devices, it takes years for wireless carriers to see returns on their sales. VZW seems to think that they will survive - we do too. So almost-full year in the books with the iPhone on a carrier other than AT&T, and we still have choices. Nothing to complain about here. *Note - Actually, I have one last thing to add. In response to an email from Remington Bob - who of course left a fake email account - who wanted to point out that the Galaxy Nexus "wasn't much of a success" since the iPhone sold in the millions over LTE phones, I'll say this. We accept arguments, criticism, and feedback here at Droid Life, but when you bring them, at least know what the hell you are talking about first. Comparing quarterly sales numbers for a phone that was released in October (that would be the beginning of the quarter, Bob) to one that was released December 15 (that would be the end of the quarter, Bob) is about as absurd as it gets. I've been sitting here looking for other ridiculous scenarios to compare this to and can't come up with any, because it is that ridiculous and comical. There are fanboys and then there is Remington Bob. And if you need an email address, Bob, there are plenty of free services out there that DL members would gladly help you sign up for. Via: CNN, Mashable

Google Offers Available In Five New Cities Starting Today

Tim — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 10:22:44 +0000

Google has just launched an additional five locations for their popular Google Offers service. If you happen to be around Charlotte, Kansas City, Milwaukee, San Antonio or Tampa, then start getting ready for deals in your area. You can find discounts on services, food, and a bunch of other things that are centered around your selected city. Consider it Google's answer to Groupon. Enjoy! Market Link Via: Google Commerce

Can't Live Without a Visual Representation of Android Malware Across the Globe? Lookout has an App for That

Kellen — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 09:32:31 +0000

If stressing over malware on Android is something that you enjoy on a daily basis, the crew responsible for Lookout Security has a new release that will satisfy your needs. Their newest app titled Mobile Threat Tracker takes the last few day's security threats that their security products have identified and displays them in a visually stunning, rain shower-ish, globe rotating manner. You can view the top threats, tap to view more info on them, and then decide for yourself if you believe that there is actually a Malware problem in Android. Is there? I'm not ready to buy into yet, but hey, the app looks snazzy. Market Link

Web of Tech Patent Lawsuits [Infographic]

Tim — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 09:10:59 +0000

It seems every other day that we hear Company A is suing Company B over patent infringement. Thanks to PCMag, we can keep track of them all through a set of infographics. These graphs give us a solid representation of the amount of firepower each company holds with their number of patents. As we can see, a lot of these companies have in the tens of thousands of patents - how they keep track of them all, don't ask us. In the above chart, there are the major filings along with their dates, but we sort of wish they also had the outcome. We love a good Fortune 500 drama, but can't we all just get along?

Via: PCMag

Today's Wannabe Siri for Android: Say Hello to Evi, A Decent Option When It Isn't Having Server Issues

Kellen — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 08:14:53 +0000

Last night, the latest Siri wannabe was introduced to Android under the name Evi. It's voice-inspired, can answer almost any question you ask it, and even learns on the go after receiving feedback directly from you. This actually is a decent attempt at being Android's Siri, except for one problem which you will quickly find in the market: they have like 1 or 2 servers trying to power the service for thousands of new users and simply cannot keep up with traffic. At this point, if you jump into the app and search for something, you will see this: "I'm waiting for a network connection before trying this one." It's frustrating, especially after using it last night and finding pretty favorable results for the most part. In fact, it's built-in map feature works well, however, we would have liked to have seen some way to launch navigation out of it. It returns simple, yet detailed results pages, beautifully laid out business or location pages, and even answered many of our off-the-wall questions. Again, this service actually isn't bad and is probably the best attempt yet. Now, let's hope we see a legitimate server infrastructure in the next day or so or it may be a short life for ol' Evi.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TrCK0ya097Q[/youtube]

Market Link

Via: TechCrunch

Official: DROID RAZR MAXX Headed to Verizon This Thursday for $299

Kellen — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 07:58:50 +0000

And the DROID RAZR MAXX is now officially official as headed to Verizon this Thursday, January 26, for $299 on contract. Big Red confirmed two reports of ours this morning that this would be the week. As you all know, the RAZR MAXX packs a whopping 3300mAh battery, yet manages to stay less than 9mm thick. It also boasts the same dual-core processor, 8MP shooter, qHD screen, and build quality of the original RAZR, but again, can last you for days (allegedly). Full specs | Video hands-on | Photo gallery Who wants one?

Verizon is Kicking Off a "4x4" Galaxy Nexus Contest Tomorrow That Lasts 4 Days, Here are the Details Early

Kellen — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 21:01:58 +0000

Starting tomorrow at 10AM ET, Verizon will launch a "4x4" Twitter contest that will reward 14 (or is it 16?) lucky souls with brand new Galaxy Nexus devices. As the must-have Android device of the last year, you won't want to miss out on this opportunity if you have yet to pick one up. From the 24th (tomorrow morning) through the 27th, you will have multiple chances to take home a brand new G-Nex, however, VZW is going to make you work for it a bit. The rules: 1. Follow @VerizonWireless on Twitter. 2. Each day for the next 4 days, an entry period will be announced that runs from 10AM ET through 11:59PM ET. 3. Each day, a different mode of entry will be announced as follows:

4. You will need to complete each task depending on the day. 5. You can enter each entry period up to 10 times. 6. Winners will be picked and announced by January 31 - notified via DM on Twitter. Cheers Droid Insider!

Motorola Prepares New "Project" for the DROID RAZR

Kellen — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 17:10:15 +0000

Motorola's Feedback Network is sending out invitations tonight to DROID RAZR owners, asking if they want to participate in a soak test for a new "project." The details of the update are absent as usual, but with software leaking within the last couple of weeks, we have a pretty good idea as to what we can expect. You probably shouldn't assume that this one is Ice Cream Sandwich just yet and should instead focus on the likelihood of simply being a bug fixer and slight UI enhancer. Cheers N and P!

Monday Poll: If the DROID RAZR had an Unlockable Bootloader, Would it be Your Phone of Choice?

Kellen — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 16:56:25 +0000

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cA2yKhZpaHE[/youtube]

This morning, Motorola posted up a video that hypebeasted the massive 3300mAh battery that they managed to pack into their new DROID RAZR MAXX and it got me thinking. What would the Android landscape look like right now had Motorola done something to please the developer community? The RAZR by all means, is one of my favorite phones of the last couple of years (just read our review of it). It's unbelievably thin, has a fantastic radio inside, takes better than average photos, and has the specs to give it a long and prosperous life. But thousands of the readers of this site passed on it for the Galaxy Nexus, knowing that it would be locked up as tight as all previous Moto phones. When polled though, readers almost always come back to Motorola as one of their favorite manufacturers, even after almost 2 years of missed opportunities to reach back out to the community that helped their original DROID succeed. So I'm just wondering, if Moto had unlocked the bootloader on the RAZR and RAZR MAXX, would you have passed on the Nexus or Rezound? [poll id="127"]

DROID Incredible 2 Drops to $9.99 on Contract at Verizon

Kellen — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 16:00:33 +0000

It's a day full of deals. Now that CES is over with and MWC is approaching, Verizon is doing their best to thin out inventory on older devices. Within the last week we have seen deals on the DROID 3, Thunderbolt, Rezound, and now the Incredible 2. How does $9.99 sound? Buy. Cheers Chris!

Google+ Now Allowing Nicknames And Established Pseudonyms

Tim — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 15:40:46 +0000

Google+ users can now include nicknames in their profiles, thanks to a recent update. With this feature, if you are better known by a nickname or an established pseudonym, you will be able to place it on your profile so people can find you and get connected a whole lot easier. Google has done plenty of research on what people want in their social network name:

When we analyze the set of all name appeals on Google+, we find that they generally fall into three major categories: - The majority (60%) of these users want to simply add nicknames. - About 20% of appeals are actually businesses (who are inadvertently trying to set up their business as a Profile, rather than using Google+ Pages which were intended for this purpose.) - And the remaining 20% would either prefer to use a pseudonym or another unconventional name.

It is easy to see that Google is trying their best to make Google+ the go to these days for everyone's social needs. Sweet, right? Via: Google+

Official G-Shock Phone Runs Android and Can Survive a 10 Foot Drop, Is Also Incredibly Ugly

Kellen — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 15:25:13 +0000

Oh my. We thought the Casio G'z0ne was a beast of a phone, and then someone sent us the official G-Shock device that was apparently shown at CES a couple of weeks ago. It clearly runs Android, is reportedly able to hang under water up to 10 meters, can withstand a 10 foot drop, and can hold up a full ton of weight. It might be the ugliest thing on the planet, but you can't tell me that you don't want one to go trudge around in the woods with one, acting like a real man.

Via: Facebook, G-ShockZone (images) Cheers GreeKNastY!

Speaker Proximity App Allows Your Phone to Automatically Toggle Speaker On or Off While on a Call

Kellen — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 14:33:10 +0000

A reader turned us onto an app that appears to have been around for quite some time yet hasn't really received much attention. It's called Speaker Proximity, and it allows your phone to automatically toggle between speaker and ear piece during a call by using your phone's proximity sensor. I played with it during a couple of calls on my Galaxy Nexus today and it seems to work pretty well. The app is not in the market, but you can pick it up through its Google Project page. Let us know what you think! Download: SpeakerProximity_v.0.3.5beta.apk Cheers Deathshead!

DROID RAZR 6.12.173 Update Pulled and Available for Use, Brings Phone to Android 2.3.6 [No Root Required]

Kellen — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 13:33:22 +0000

First off, understand that this is a leaked build and is likely not the official file that you will see on your phones from Verizon. These test builds are pulled from time to time by devs and are flashable as if they were official but again, most are not. With that said, after flashing this new build 6.12.173, you can get yourself back to official 6.11.748 fairly easily. So what's in this new build and why should you update your phone to it? Well according to those that have been running it for a bit, the LTE radio update is worth it by itself. It will also bring you a new look to some Blur settings (like Settings menu icons), a bunch of new bloatware including Slingbox and Moto Car Finder, and the phone will jump up to Android 2.3.6, which is at least newer than the 2.3.5 you are currently running. Instructions (simple version):

*You do not need to be rooted to flash this file.

1. Download this file to your SD card (not internal storage).

*You want the file located in /mnt/sdcard-ext

2. Power down your phone. 3. Reboot into recovery by holding both Volume Up and Down and Power at the same time. 4. When the first menu appears, choose "recovery."

*Scroll using Volume Down. Select "recovery" with Volume Up.

5. When the exclamation and Android logo appear, press both volumes at the same time. 6. Select "apply update from sdcard." Scroll with Volume Down, select with Power switch. 7. Select the file "Blur_Version.6.11.748.XT912.Verizon.en.US.zip" to flash.

*Yes, 6.11.748 is the current version you are on. Moto names their update files this way. They name them as the version you are coming from, not the version you are going to.

8. Watch your phone update itself! And trust me, it will take a while. 9. When it finishes, choose "reboot system now." 10. Enjoy your updated phone! Full instructions on keeping root through the update along with the file to roll back to the official OTA update path can be found at the source link below. Via: DroidRzr Cheers J!

Madfinger Games To Release ShadowGun: Leftover This Week For Android

Tim — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 12:09:57 +0000

Fans of the over-the-shoulder shooter ShadowGun are in for a treat. According to the Madfinger Games forums admin RAZO, ShadowGun is about to receive an update this week in the Market which shall include 4 new levels, new enemies, new guns, and a whole lot more. Previously, this version of ShadowGun was exclusively for iOS, but now Android is finally receiving the love. Update will include:

- The story directly follows the events of original Shadowgun - Free for all original Shadowgun owners - 4 new levels - New enemy creature - New gun - New type of gaming interaction - New soundtrack - Lot of new graphics, animations and cut-scenes - New and improved content in general (also affects the original Shadowgun) - New effects such as camera shakes or bullet trails - New element in the control - Roll (player can now perform rolls) - Tuned difficulty, weapons and enemies - Better, more intensive gaming experience

ShadowGun is one of our favorite mobile shooters, so this update is definitely welcomed. It will be free for present owners of the game, but you can pick up ShadowGun in the Android Market for just $4.99. Market Link Via: Droid Gamers

Gameloft to Introduce In-game Voice Chatting to Games Played Over Verizon's 4G LTE Network

Kellen — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 11:40:09 +0000

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afq7tZW1hYM[/youtube]

Back at CES, Gameloft was able to show off a new feature that both serious and casual gamers will surely enjoy, in-game voice chatting. During gameplay over Verizon's 4G LTE network, some of Gameloft's game portofilio will enable users to ~~trash-talk~~ chat with up to 3 opponents. While the first game to allow for this new feature is Asphalt 6, you will likely see this come to a variety of games in the near future. Modern Combat 3 with team chat, anyone? Gameloft's VP of publishing had this to say:

“We are thrilled to be partnering with Verizon to illustrate the potential of in-game voice chat and multiplayer over the 4G LTE network,” said Baudouin Corman, vice president of Publishing for the Americas at Gameloft. “Gameloft seeks to provide gamers with a complete mobile gaming experience and feels that these features are at the forefront of the platform’s future.”

Excited to have in-game voice chatting? How many serious mobile gamers do we have? Via: Android and Me, Gameloft

Verizon Beefs Up Its 4G LTE Network in Indianapolis, Making the Super Bowl XLVI Experience Enjoyable

Kellen — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 10:50:18 +0000

In preparation for Super Bowl XLVI in Indianapolis, Verizon held nothing back to take its 4G LTE network to the next level. Throughout the state of Indiana, they spent $69 million more than they did in 2010, some of that was obviously dedicated to this joyous football occasion. Knowing that some 85,000+ fanatics would be in attendance along with countless media members all starving for a stable data connection, Big Red wanted to make sure your experience at the game and in downtown Indy was optimal. Nine (9) new antennas have been added to the outside of the stadium along with a massive internal 3G/4G network and a full WiFi infrastructure that allows for 28,000 connections. They also plan to have 3 C.O.W.s (cell on wheels) on hand to help beef things up even more. (bad joke, I know) What happens after the game though? Verizon plans to leave just about everything behind, other than the C.O.W.s. So going forward, downtown Indianapolis is going to be in full-on beast mode. Via: GottaBeMobile

Report: Android Owners Prefer Samsung, Have Researched Mobile Operating Systems, and Consider Google a "Reputable Company"

Tim — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 09:54:03 +0000

Tell us something we don't already know. When we ran a poll in December, asking which smartphone manufacturer our readers preferred, Samsung definitely had the edge on Motorola and HTC. Now, thanks to a report from marketing firm iGR, we can see that our community's opinion matches up to that of the public, who voted Sammie to be their favorite as well. Galaxy Nexus and Galaxy SII to thank? Also in this study, we see another set of numbers that show Android's dominance in the smartphone battle, controlling 47% of the U.S. market while 24% is owned by the iPhone. 45% of those with Android phones actually did some research on the operating system before making that purchase decision. Finally, 27% of those considered Google to be a "reputable company," which aided in their decision. Not surprising numbers, but the 27% who consider Google to be "reputable" seems low. I guess it's tough to tell without seeing the survey or where that option appeared. What do you guys think, is Google reputable? Did that have any influence on your decision to join the Android army? Via: Market Watch

Google Introduces "Experimental" Gmail Options in Android 4.0.3

Kellen — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 09:26:53 +0000

Owning a Transformer Prime or Motorola XOOM has an added benefit over most other devices at this time thanks to their Ice Cream Sandwich updates. In version Android 4.0.3, a slightly new version of Gmail is introduced that includes an "Experiments" section. In this special section, you will find two new options that make the Gmail experience much more well-rounded: full text search and the ability to drag and drop contact "chips." The first option allows you to index messages so that they can be searched locally. The second turns the contact "chips" into movable objects. Now, when you long press on a newly added contact into To/Cc/Bcc, you can long-press to then drag and drop them into another field. In the 4.0.2 version of Gmail, a long press gets you into a "copy email" box. Neat, right? [insert generalized fragmentation remark]

Via: ComputerWorld

LG to Continue the 3D Smartphone Gimmick at MWC With the "Optimus 3D 2"

Kellen — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 08:49:07 +0000

As much as the DL community hated on 3D technology in smartphones during 2011, our goal of forcing manufacturers to realize that it was a gimmick that no one was interested in has apparently failed. LG has apparently decided to give it another go with the Optimus 3D 2 that could be unveiled at Mobile World Congress next month. Codenamed the "CX2," the latest 3D offering from LG will see a slight bump in dual-core processor to 1.2GHz, brighter NOVA display, slimmer profile, and that's about it. 3D interesting anyone yet? Via: PocketNow

DROID 3 Drops to $49 on Contract to Make Room for the DROID 4

Kellen — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 08:24:58 +0000

Last week, the DROID 3 dropped all the way down to $99 on contract moments after Verizon and Motorola officially introduced the DROID 4. This week, they hacked another $50 off of the price, making it available for $49 through February 6. If this was a sign that the D4 should be upon us at any second now, they I don't know what it is. If you can live without 4G LTE for 2 more years, then this is a deal worth considering. Buy. Cheers Jonathan!

DROID RAZR 16GB in White, Purple and Black All Available Now for $199 at Verizon

Kellen — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 08:08:52 +0000

The microSD card-less version of the DROID RAZR is now available from Verizon in 3 different colors: white, black and purple (gallery). Everything about this version is identical to the original 32GB version, except for the fact that you have to put your own removable storage into it. At $199, this is not a bad deal at all. Unless of your course you want the 3300mAh of battery juice that Moto packed into the RAZR MAXX for only $100 more. Buy. Cheers Aaron!

Resident Evil 4 Makes Its Way Onto Android In Korea, The Zombies Are Coming

Eric — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 07:30:58 +0000

To be honest, this was a long time coming. Capcom's Resident Evil 4 can be found on almost every platform that you can shoehorn a game into. After debuting on the Nintendo Gamecube, the game was ported to the Playstation 2 and then proceeded onto everything else in the world after that. The iPhone has had a port of the game for a while now, and it seems Android will be getting some love.

For now the game is only available through LG's LTE U+ App Market in Korea. LG likes to get their hands on these games and keep them exclusive for a little while, like they did with Street Fighter IV HD. This is a big enough game however that it will most likely not only come to America, but also come to all Android phones in due time. The line-up of big name titles is slowly growing on Android; Max Payne, Grand Theft Auto and now this. Ready for some ~~zombie~~ "infected townsperson" slaying action?

Via: Joystiq

Androidified Galaxy Nexus Cases Should be Considered by the Geek in All of Us, Plus a Buy 2 Get 1 Free Deal

Kellen — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 21:00:25 +0000

From back in our "OG" days, we sort of wrote off cases as we tend to enjoy our phones naked for the most part. For whatever reason though, this weekend, I got the itch and started doing a bit of case shopping. There are so many out there to choose from that you almost always need a recommendation in order to narrow your search. That recommendation happened within the last hour by reader kevlar, who has been following a behind-the-scenes craze for Cruzerlite Androidified cases for the Galaxy Nexus. As you can see in the pics above and below, these will take your Nexus from semi-Android fanboy to ultimate over night. They come in a variety of colors, most of which are transparent enough that you can see your phone the whole time. (Smoke, green, blue, pink, all black, clear, and more.) Better yet, if you add 3 to your cart, you can plugin in the code BUY2GONE at checkout and get one free. So yeah, 3 uber-awesome Android cases for the price of 2. And the seller has given the thumbs up for Prime shipping, so you could have them by Tuesday or Wednesday. Couple all of that with that fact that they are only $9.90 to begin with and you have a hell of a deal. How do they fit? Apparently like a glove with the normal battery. Some reports have them also fitting with the extended, but it's not as tight as with the standard. Buy.

Cheers kevlar!

Tip: Tiny Flashlight Adds Lock Screen Shake Feature for Quick Lighting Access

Kellen — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 16:18:39 +0000

I'm not sure that I can even count all of the flashlight apps in the market these days (nor would I want to try), but one of them in particular has been downloaded somewhere between 10 and 50 million times. That app is called Tiny Flashlight. Now, normally we wouldn't waste your time with a flashlight app, but this one just so happens to have been updated to version 4.0 within the last week. And in version 4.0 you get the handiest of features, which is the ability to activate the light with a simple shake at your lock screen. You will have to go into settings and manually tick the feature to "on," but let me tell you, this sucker has come in handy more than a couple of times over the last few days. Just had to share. Market Link Cheers Logan!

This Week In The Life of DROID: 1/20/2012

Tim — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 15:00:28 +0000

It has been a very interesting week not just for Android, but for the Internet in general. So far, it looks like we have been able to make SOPA and PIPA retreat back to their dark caves and re-plot their strategy on world take over. Along with all of that drama, the XOOM WiFi received some Ice Cream Sandwich love, Google says there are 250 million+ activated Android handsets, and Apple continues to sue competitors over features that they declare are their own. Oh what fun.

Hope you all have a very splendid weekend!

Angry Birds Seasons Updated, It's Time For The Year Of The Dragon

Tim — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 14:30:35 +0000

If you are still on the Angry Birds Seasons train you will be happy to hear that the world's #1 mobile game has received another update. Rovio has found influence from the Chinese New Year and you will probably being seeing plenty of dragon themed goodies in this edition. Anyone here still loving some Angry Birds? Enjoy. Market Link [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBNb-PG81ME[/youtube]

Friday Poll: Bigger Deal - Top of the Line Smartphone Camera or an HD Screen?

Kellen — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 13:42:42 +0000

When you purchase a new smartphone, there is probably some sort of list that you run down to make sure it's worth spending money on. You might look at processor, what OS it is running, screen size, camera, RAM, storage, color of it, etc. Two in particular that we seem to talk a lot about are cameras and screen size. Cameras - at least in non-Nexus phones - seem to be getting better by the release, many of them topping your standard point and shoot in quality. Is a decent smartphone camera more important than having an HD screen though? High-resolution displays are all the rage right now. Who doesn't love to look at big, beautiful images and video while on the go? So which is a bigger deal to you? [poll id="126"]

Verizon Already Testing VoLTE Service in Two Markets, Nationwide Rollout Happens in Early 2013?

Kellen — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 13:06:14 +0000

According to Catharine Trebnick of Northland Capital Markets who spoke with Light Reading, Verizon is already testing VoLTE (voice over LTE) in two markets and has plans for a nationwide rollout in early 2013. VoLTE is the future of LTE, which is a technology that allows users to place calls over the "web" or via data rather than through traditional 3G lines. The quality of calls is theoretically better and you can simultaneously use voice and data without needing an extra 3G radio. Also, things like video chatting become simple as they can be performed through a user's phone number rather than a stand-alone service like Skype. A nationwide rollout in 2013 does make sense, as Verizon's current plan is to have LTE in every location that they have 3G by that time. Whether or not we see VoLTE service before then is anyone's guess. Via: Light Reading, VZBuzz

And the Apple Patent Trolling Continues - Galaxy Nexus Lock Screen the New Target

Kellen — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 12:20:08 +0000

In another non-surprising patent trolling move, Apple has made the Galaxy Nexus from Samsung their next target in German courts. In this latest trolling journey, the folks from Cupertino have decided that the unlock mechanism in the G-Nex infringes on their slide-to-unlock patent. [insert eye roll] Without having any clue as to how a court would react to this, I'll just offer my opinion on the differences between the two lock screens. First, Android's is not a "slide-to-unlock" lock screen. I would argue that Google expected a move like this from Apple, which is why starting with Honeycomb, we saw the introduction of the globe that can be moved to unlock the device. It is no longer a slide. Apple's lock screen is true a "slide-to-unlock" gesture, as it is a bar that moves from left to right to unlock. Android's - at least in 3.0+ - no longer acts this way. Upon touching the lock globe, you can move it in a complete 360 (up, down, left, right or at angles) before deciding whether or not you want to unlock or jump into the camera. While some may gawk at that as being a difference maker, just remember that these are patents and the broken system they make up we are talking about. The tiny details like this are what can make the difference in winning or losing one of these cases. Just some thoughts. Via: AllThingsD, Foss Patents

Samsung's "We Just Got Samsunged!" Ad Campaign To Kick Off During Super Bowl

Tim — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 11:50:04 +0000

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOSgfvTC35A[/youtube]

During this year's Super Bowl, Samsung is going to roll out of their latest ad spot which continues on with the theme of Galaxy SII vs. iDevice. Their widely popular scene of a Samsung owner showing up in front of a line of loyal Apple users is taken to the next level in this lead-in with the term "Samsunged" after an SGS2 owner 1-ups a line member. Is "Samsunging" going to catch on? Sick of these spots yet? Enjoy!

SOPA Has Been Postponed Indefinitely.

Kellen — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 11:04:07 +0000

Both the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and Protect Intellectual Property Act (PIPA) have been postponed indefinitely by Congress. Texas Congressman Lamar Smith who introduced SOPA, had the following to say:

"It is clear that we need to revisit the approach on how best to address the problem of foreign thieves that steal and sell American inventions and products," Smith said in a statement.

Again, I know this is not Android-related, but it affects us all. No new date has been set for a vote on tweaked bills. A massive +1 to every site that participated in Wednesday's blackout and to each and every one of you that contacted your state's representatives and helped spread the word. Via: Reuters

Beastly LG X3 Render Leaked, Rumored To Have NVIDIA Tegra 3 Onboard

Tim — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 11:00:51 +0000

As we start creeping into 2012, we are sure to see more quad-core devices fill the headlines. In late of last year, we saw leaked images of the HTC Edge and the HTC Zeta which had many folks chirping for them to quickly become a reality. Today, we have another leaked render thanks to Pocket Now showing LG's rumored X3 device. The X3 is powered by NVIDIA's Tegra 3 quad-core processor and is said to possibly run Ice Cream Sandwich out of the box. Along with its impressive processing power, the X3 has a 4.7" high resolution display along with an 8MP rear camera. The main question most here might wonder is which radio would the X3 house. Unfortunately, it's looking like a 21Mbps HSPA. No quad-core love for Verizon users yet. But with the Mobile World Conference (MWC) just around the corner, who knows what goodies are in store. Is anyone hoping that Verizon finds themselves as the home of a Tegra 3 device by year's end? Is a quad-core even enough to make you switch to an LG made device? Via: Pocket Now

Four Types of Android Fragmentation [Opinion]

Ron — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 10:10:11 +0000

Netflix and Hulu Plus had limited app rollouts because of it. Eric Schmidt and Matias Duarte say it doesn’t exist. Charlie Kindel says it’s the reason Google will lose control of Android. Jon Evans says it’s the single greatest problem facing Android. Sanjay Jha says that carriers require it and he needs it to make money. It’s a subject that Android supporters are tired of talking about and that Android competitors can’t stop talking about. It was the subject of my first official post here at Droid-Life. Fragmentation is still a serious problem. Yesterday our fearless leader criticized Nokia's CEO, Stephen Elop, for bringing up Android fragmentation, saying that fragmentation is no longer an issue. While Kellen made some good points about how far Android has come since 2009, I disagree with his conclusion that Android fragmentation is no longer a problem. Four different types of fragmentation remain problematic for Android users.

User Interface I outlined what user interface fragmentation means and why it's a problem in my first post here. If you're new to Android or need a refresher, read on; if not, move on to the next section. User Interface fragmentation refers to the sundry skins and software experiences that manufacturers run on top of Android: HTC Sense, Motorola Blur, Samsung TouchWiz, etc. From icons to how you unlock the device to how you set up an email account, these manufacturer skins fragment the user interface on Android, thereby fragmenting the user experience. These skins are also the main contributor to the next type of fragmentation. Operating System Because of the number of devices produced by manufacturers and the different skins they develop to run on top of Android, manufacturers struggle to keep all of their devices on the most recent version of Android. As Kellen pointed out, there was a time when operating system fragmentation meant some apps were not compatible with some phones. That is no longer the case for most applications, which is a great step. In fact, when Schmidt and Duarte say that Android fragmentation doesn't exist, they consistently refer to applications working across all Android devices, not the fact that all Android phones run on different versions of the operating system. This in and of itself might not be as much of an issue if most Android phones received updates throughout the duration of the consumer's contract. Historically the opposite has been true.

Device As Charlie Kindel pointed out, device fragmentation can be called device differentiation. For the most part, that's exactly what it is. Some devices have hardware keyboards, some have gamepads, some have a camera button, some have a kickstand, etc. I don't think this type of device fragmentation is a bad thing; it's one of Android's strengths. That said, there are some device fragmentations that have a negative effect on user experience. For example, the official Twitter app does not scale properly on devices like the Rezound because it hasn't been updated to accommodate for the 720p screen resolution. These issues will be resolved as app developers update to accommodate for the new screen resolution, but it's a notable problem.

Gaming The last form of fragmentation still present on Android is gaming fragmentation. Most games are playable on any device, but games that have been optimized for Tegra are only playable on devices with a Tegra GPU. If you bought a game that was optimized for Tegra and then upgraded to a non-Tegra device, you'd have to buy the non-Tegra version to play the game again. This is only going to get worse as other chipset makers like Intel make their own GPUs and get developers to make Intel GPU-only versions of their game. So What? At this point some of you may be saying, "So what?" You might be thinking, "Who cares if some games don't play on every device. Just buy the right version for your device," or "Stop complaining about little things like the Twitter app not scaling properly. They'll fix it soon enough," or "Yes, most people are on Android 2.2 and 2.3, but in a year everyone will be on ICS," or "For crying out loud, please stop complaining about skins. Yes, they slow down updates, but they provide an experience that some users like. If you don't like it, get a Galaxy Nexus and stop complaining." If that's where you're at with this discussion, I totally understand. Like I stated before, fragmentation has been spoken about ad nauseam. For those of us who want to see Android become the best operating system in the world, I think this is still an important issue. I think understanding that there are different types of fragmentation is a helpful tool in continuing discussion. As Matias Duarte pointed out in his interview with The Verge, people mean different things when they say the word fragmentation. When we talk about fragmentation, we should be specific so that we don't keep muddying up the conversation with generalized terms that have no definite meaning. For those of us who want to see Android continue to get better, fragmentation will persist as an obstacle, but it won't ruin Android. I have no doubt that Android will continue to be wildly successful whether or not these fragmentation issues get fixed. That said, I think Android could be an even better operating system if Google began to address these issues head on. Google has already started to improve their standards for Android with the User Interface Guidelines and the Holo theme requirement. Over the next few years I think we'll continue to see an even better Android experience and hopefully we'll see some of these types of fragmentation disappear for the benefit of the consumer.

Verizon Offering HTC Thunderbolt Free On Contract Through January 26

Tim — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 09:35:43 +0000

If your pockets are empty, it is looking like the perfect time to snatch up the HTC Thunderbolt from Verizon. Now through January 26, you can pick up the device for free when you enter a new contract on Big Red. Thanks to HTC unlocking the bootloader, the Thunderbolt still receives love from the developer community so we know that this device won't disappear from the radar anytime too soon. And the fact that this was Verzon's first 4G LTE device, means owning one just for nostalgia is completely justified. Via: Phandroid

LG Spectrum Gets First Ad Featuring R2-D2

Kellen — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 09:00:53 +0000

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZxhPEwHhG58[/youtube]

The LG Spectrum officially launched yesterday on Verizon for $199. The first commercial for it officially launched this morning, although we can't stop scratching our heads over it. While the spot itself is actually worth a laugh, the fact that R2-D2 makes a cameo is simply odd (at first). After all, the Spectrum is not "DROID" branded and R2 comes straight out of Star Wars and and the mind of George Lucas where the word "DROID" is currently being licensed from. In the end though, it's obvious that Phantom Menace in 3D needed another plug and what better way to do that than through the wireless carrier Lucas is ~~in bed~~ friends with.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-J2ZY6DuE4[/youtube]

Cheers Jay!

DROID RAZR MAXX All But Confirmed for January 26 Launch According to Verizon

Kellen — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 08:22:55 +0000

One of our readers noticed over the weekend that Motorola's landing page for the DROID RAZR MAXX had an availability date of January 26. Once we posted it, the news quickly spread and Moto realized that they jumped the gun with it, almost instantly switching it to "available soon." It looks now like Moto was indeed right, as Verizon is expecting the "all channel" launch to take place on that very same day, January 26. We were big fans of the RAZR MAXX after getting our hands on it at CES last week, even calling it our top phone of the event. When it hits stores next Thursday, you can gobble it up for $299 on contract. Cheers ___!

Nova Launcher Update Introduces Custom Icons for Folders, Infinite Scrolling

Kellen — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 07:52:33 +0000

It's no secret that we are huge fans of Nova Launcher. As an all-ICS home replacement, it gets better and better with each new update - something that happens quite often by the way. And when the newest update popped up on my handset last night showing that custom icons could now be added over folders, you could find me grinning for a solid 5 minutes. This may seem like such a minimal update, but to be honest, the folder icon that is used in Android 4.0 is not the prettiest thing on the planet. A round circle with a batch of apps laying all over each other? Eh, no thanks. Custom icon that I choose instead? Yes, please. The update also includes infinite scrolling, optimizations and other bug fixes. Download links here (not in the market yet). Folder icon here.

Thursday Poll: Bigger Deal - Unlockable Bootloader or Current Version of Android?

Kellen — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 17:30:03 +0000

In our never ending quest to understand the most important things to you when it comes to Android, we have a simple this or that poll to end the night with. If you had the choice of having an unlockable bootloader or the newest version of Android before anyone else, which would you choose? Neither is wrong or right, but I can assume that there will be some strong opinions one way or the other. We would love to hear them. [poll id="125"]

Verizon to Offer "Smartphone App Pack" That Includes NFL Mobile, Ringback Tones, VZ Navigator, Visual Voicemail and More for $12.99

Kellen — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 15:49:45 +0000

Verizon kicked off a new promotion this week to try and ~~sucker~~ tempt you into signing up for some of their monthly services like VZ Navigator and Visual Voicemail. If you aren't interested in using the fantastic free services that Google offers like Maps and Voice or for some reason feel like paying for Big Red's versions instead, then think about asking for this bundle. The entire package includes NFL Premium, Ringback Tones subscription, Usage Controls, Verizon Video, VZ Navigator and Visual Voicemail all for $12.99 per month - the same price you pay for just voicemail and navigator currently. Cheers ___!

Osmos, Winner Of Multiple Game Of The Year Awards Makes Its Way To Android

Tim — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 15:25:01 +0000

Another great game has finally found itself in the Android Market. This time it is Osmos, winner of Apple's iPad Game of the Year on iOS. It's a beautiful game with hypnotizing music that will continue to 'evolve' into an Android classic without a doubt. With magnificent colors and a wonderfully challenging plot, you will easily find yourself spending too much time with this game. Give it a try and let us know what you think down in the comments section. Android Game of the Year material? Market Link: HD Version ($2.99) | Demo Version (Free) [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrzhlTn1_ds[/youtube]

NSA Releases ‘Security Enhanced Android’, Offering Government Level Protection For Your Device

Tim — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 14:50:05 +0000

Do you sometimes feel that your phone just isn't as secure as it should be? Then allow me to introduce Security Enhanced Android (SEA), brought to you by the wonderful folks over at the National Security Agency (NSA). Taken from the AOSP and then beefed up to withstand any type of security breach, SEA is invulnerable to most types of malicious 3rd party apps that most people would fear. Security Enhanced Android offers:

Per-file security labeling support for yaffs2,
Filesystem images (yaffs2 and ext4) labeled at build time,
Kernel permission checks controlling Binder IPC,
Labeling of service sockets and socket files created by init,
Labeling of device nodes created by ueventd,
Flexible, configurable labeling of apps and app data directories,
Userspace permission checks controlling use of the Zygote socket commands,
Minimal port of SELinux userspace,
SELinux support for the Android toolbox,
Small TE policy written from scratch for Android,
Confined domains for system services and apps,
Use of MLS categories to isolate apps.

Feel like learning more about Security Enhanced Android and maybe even loading it onto your device? Then check out the source right here. Via: XDA

Nike Introduces the FuelBand as the Next Fitness Trend, Android Compatibility on the Way

Kellen — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 14:05:38 +0000

The latest in active/exercise tech was introduced today by Nike. The product is called the Nike+ FuelBand and looks similar to those LiveStrong wrist bands that took the world by storm for an extended period of time, only it's much more advanced. The idea behind it is similar to what you can find in FitBit, except that it introduces a new way to measure your daily activity, NikeFuel. It's really a glorified marketing term, but the idea is that your Fuel score should "motivate" you to do more throughout the day. Whether you are running, walking, crawling, flipping or waving your warms around, your Fuel score is being calculated. Not only that though, you can also track calories and steps taken which are displayed on the band through an LED light panel. The product is Android-related in the sense that an app to co-exist with your Fuel score and progress will be available soon. At launch, February 22, there will be an iOS app, however, Nike has already said that an Android version is on the way. The product will retail for $149. Is that the MotoActv I hear crying in the corner? Actually that's not completely fair since the FuelBand does not have a built-in MP3 player. Might be time to drop that price a tad though Moto, as Nike is one athletic master you do not want to battle. Introduction to the FuelBand: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TtfJAyjkkGs[/youtube] Introduction to NikeFuel: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-eAjsFl22HM[/youtube] More info.

Google: 11 Billion App Downloads, Over 250 Million Total Android Devices Activated

Kellen — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 13:41:24 +0000

During Google's Q4 earnings call that is live right now, CEO Larry Page gave us some new Android numbers to twist our brains over. As you already know, over 700,000 devices are activated every day and that 3.7 million were activated during the X-mas holiday weekend. To add to those though, Page announced that over 250 million devices have been activated to date (up 50 million since a November announcement). And to top that off, 10 billion apps have been downloaded in the market. On related note, Google+ now has over 90 million users. That's over double what they announced in Q3. +1.

Might Want to Find a New Place to Host Your ROMs, MegaUpload Shut Down by the Feds

Kellen — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 13:06:46 +0000

Who am I kidding, hopefully most ROM developers or anyone for that matter that needed to host something, moved away from MegaUpload long ago. But so you are aware, the Feds have shut the popular file sharing service down, charging it's owners with engaging in a "racketeering conspiracy, conspiring to commit copyright infringement, conspiring to commit money laundering and two substantive counts of criminal copyright infringement." According to the Department of Justice, the action itself is "among the largest criminal copyright cases ever brought by the United States." Megaupload reportedly made more than $175 million in illegal profits, causing more than $500 million in damages to copyright holders. Yikes. You can read the DoJ's statement on the matter here.

JackThreads Application Now Up On Android Market, Men's Street Fashion Available At Your Fingertips

Tim — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 12:35:59 +0000

If you are a guy and shop for clothes online, then there is a good chance you have heard of JackThreads. It is a members-only site that carries deals on street-wear and accessories from very well known brands that cater to today's youth and their sense of fashion. The application was built by Fueled and with it, you are able to browse through all of their deals and basically have the entire site in a very well sorted out interface. To top it all off, if you find something you like you can buy and ship right from your device. Righteous. Via: Phandroid

Motorola in the Midst of Updating Their Software Upgrade Timeline, Which Devices Will See Ice Cream Sandwich and When?

Kellen — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 11:55:39 +0000

Motorola has been all over Twitter this morning, telling users that their "software upgrade news site will be updated soon with info on ICS upgrades for other devices." By "other devices," they mean the DROID X, DROID X2, DROID 2 and 3, Pro, etc. We already know that all of the new RAZRs and the Bionic will see Android 4.0, but the rest have been a mystery. Here is my best guess as to which devices will see ICS:

RAZR and MAXX - Yes (confirmed)
XOOM - Yes (already receiving it)
Bionic - Yes (confirmed)
DROID X2 - Yes
DROID 3 - Yes
DROID X - Maybe
DROID 2/Global - Maybe
DROID Pro - Maybe (leaning towards not likely)
Original DROID - Not likely

And I'm giving the original DROID X and DROID 2 a "maybe" because both were highly adopted phones. Moto will have more than a handful of angry users to deal with should they deny those two. The Pro was not popular and the "OG" is just too damn old. With that said, since the DX, D2 and Pro all have similar specs, they could easily update the Pro to ICS should they decide to include those others. What about a time frame for release? Motorola has already laid out their 4-6 month process for updating, so if you go off of the release of Android 4.0 (November 13), then some of these phones may not see ICS until May or June. I would sort of expect the RAZR and Bionic to see it much sooner as they are brand new devices, but the D3 and DX2 could be a bit. Stay close to this site to see when the update timeline goes live. Any bets?

ProCapture's Reduced Noise Feature Works Well With the Instant Shutter of the Galaxy Nexus

Kellen — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 11:06:04 +0000

The camera on the Galaxy Nexus is clearly not the best in the business. Sure, it can take instant photos that will wow your friends, but if they look like hell, what's the point? Since many of us have been on the hunt for the best camera replacement, we wanted to suggest ProCapture that a reader recommended. ProCapture has this nifty "reduced noise" option that will snap two pictures and then mold them together to create a single shot. With normal cameras, this can be difficult due to shutter lag, but since the Nexus has zero shutter lag, it's able to snap the two shots within a second or two. The results so far from our tests have been satisfactory. There are two issues though that need to be pointed out. The processing time for ProCapture to merge the two photos is not the swiftest. Also, the app itself does not have a video option, so you will have to revert back to the stock camera to shoot video.

Stock Camera vs. ProCapture

(click images to enlarge)

To give you some other options though, I also took simple tree shots with both Vignette and CameraZOOM FX without altering any of their manual settings. The pictures, as you can see, are a lot less washed out than the stock camera. CameraZOOM is on sale, but it doesn't seem to have quite as many manual options as the other two, but you really can't go wrong with any of them

Vignette vs. CameraZOOM FX

And I'll now ask that our photog readers step in and offer their opinions. :) Market Links: ProCapture ($3.99) | Vignette ($3.99) | CameraZOOM FX ($2.99) Cheers Timoh!

Circuitry Live Wallpaper Turns Your Home Screen Into a Stylish Circuit Board

Kellen — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 10:18:48 +0000

A reader dropped Circuitry Live Wallpaper into our inbox just moments ago, and so far we are impressed. It has 6 color combinations available at this time, but it's one of those apps we can see growing and allowing for full customization down the road. If you want your home screen to look like a matrixy-circuit board with style that changes each time you exit an app, I suggest grabbing this one. Market Link ($0.99)

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5S5wDBgfPA[/youtube]

Cheers EmanuelC!

First Batch Of Sense-ICS Builds Released For The HTC Rezound

Tim — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 09:48:13 +0000

Thanks to the unlocking of the HTC Rezound's bootloader, we have seen so much developer love for this device. It's funny how just a little bootloader can make a device so desirable. If you have been looking to have Ice Cream Sandwich with HTC's Sense on your device then be sure to check out these to builds that are said to be almost 100%. As far as we can tell, this is built off of the leaked ICS-Sense ROM that leaked last week. To check out the downloads and read up on how to flash, just follow these links and learn everything you need to know.

RezROM ICS | CleanROM

Cheers Shooter_454!

Nokia's Stephen Elop is Clueless and Living in 2009, Still Talking Android Fragmentation

Kellen — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 08:52:23 +0000

So this story from Pocket-Lint is floating around the web today that quotes Nokia's CEO Stephen Elop. Not that this should surprise anyone coming from the guy that is betting the bank on Windows Phone 7, but he of course referenced Android and this mythical fragmentation problem it has. He is quoted as saying that he doesn't want fragmentation "being introduced" to Windows Phone because "we are" starting to see it "become a problem" in a "certain other eco-system." And time for a rant... I could go into how idiotic the CEO of one of the biggest companies in the world sounds when making this argument, but I'll instead just throw some numbers at you and let them do the talking. According to January's Android distribution chart, 86% of Android users are running two variations of the operating system: Gingerbread and Froyo. The other 14% is a mix of pre-Froyo phones that are 2-3 years old and will soon vanish from the face of the Earth along with Honeycomb that will also disappear since this version of Android essentially will no longer be supported going forward. All Honeycomb tablets will be upgraded to Ice Cream Sandwich making the 3.0+ category in this distribution chart go bye-bye. So within the next 6 months, you could in theory see 2.1 and below phones and their 10% share shrink even more now that most of the people with them are ready for upgrades. Those people will then upgrade to a newer Android phone, adding to the piece of the pie that includes Gingerbread or Ice Cream Sandwich, since Froyo phones are pretty hard to come by these days. So then we are looking at most Gingerbread phones receiving updates to Android 4.0, some sticking behind permanently at 2.3, and then another soon-to-be-dying set at 2.2. By the end of the year, we could be sitting on a chart that really only has 3 versions of Android on it, the majority at 4.0 and 2.3. Is that really fragmentation? Even Apple can't keep all of its iPhones and iPod Touches on the same version of iOS these days, yet we aren't hearing these arguments directed at them. And then we could go into Elop's Windows Phone 7. Even their newly released phones enter with a newer OS than previous models, who then have to wait to receive updates. This is simply how the mobile industry works. Actually, this is how the entire tech world works. You introduce a new product, it likely has a newer OS than the one you released 6 months prior. But I digress. Elop seems adamant that Android is suffering from some major problem that we are struggling to find. When we look at say, yesterday's Nielsen numbers, Android's "fragmentation" allowed it to grow to 46.3% of the overall smartphone share in the U.S. And during that time, his Windows Phone 7 OS that is apparently not fragmented, was barely able to make the same chart, coming in at 1.3%, which just so happens to be lower than Windows Mobile at 4.6%. What I'm trying to say is, that Android may have had a "fragmentation" issue back in 2009 when apps weren't compatible with different versions of the OS, and when manufacturers were so new to the game that they struggled to release updates in a timely manner. In 2011 and 2012 though, you can no longer talk fragmentation. And if you want to call whatever it is that Android is doing a "problem," I would suggest that a dying platform like WP7 look into said "problem" to decide if it can help their cause. This argument is over.

LG Spectrum Available Today at $199 on Contract From Verizon

Kellen — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 07:58:35 +0000

Today is the day for potential LG Spectrum owners. If you are looking for one of the best HD screens in the mobile business, a powerful 1.5GHz dual-core processor, 8MP shooter, and 4G LTE, then this may be your next phone at the reasonable price of $199 on new 2-year contract ($599 off). It is available this very minute online and in VZW stores across the nation. Be sure to check out our hands-on with the Spectrum from CES.

Asus Transformer Prime Update Rolling Out as Build 9.4.2.11

Kellen — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 18:11:08 +0000

The Asus Transformer Prime has an update available as build 9.4.2.11. So far, we have absolutely no idea what it is fixing, but we will be on the lookout for a changelog. In the mean time, be sure to pull it by heading into Settings>About tablet>System firmware update. Update: It appears now to be another GPS and camera update. Cheers FAL_Fan and Joe!

Galaxy Nexus Simple Root Tool Receives Load of New Features

Kellen — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 16:37:02 +0000

WugFresh's Galaxy Nexus root tool that we featured a few weeks back is deserving of a second mention, as it includes a load of new features in version 1.22. Not only can you root and unlock or unroot and re-lock, but you can back up apps and data, restore them, run adb commands by pressing a single button, and choose which images to flash (permanently or temporarily too). While we still like to encourage readers to learn how to do all of this manually to get a full understanding of the process, this will most definitely come in handy if you are ever in a pinch. Download Link Via: DroidModderX Cheers Jeff and Chris!

Wikipedia Finally Releases Official Application To Android Market

Tim — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 15:55:25 +0000

If you have been one of the millions waiting for an official Wikipedia app, the wait has finally come to an end. Inside the Wiki app you will find all the goodies that they have on the full site including their giant library of articles and even the ability to read them all in whichever language you desire. With the added ability to save an article for offline reading, you will never be without the information you need the most. It's a good day to be a Wiki-holic. Market Link Cheers B-Rad!

Kodak Suing Samsung Over Five Patent Infringements, Looking To Thwart Bankruptcy

Tim — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 15:05:52 +0000

Kodak is looking to bring Samsung to justice in a New York courtroom over five alleged patent infringements involving digital imaging. This won't be the first time Kodak has taken a major tech company to court over patents though, with filings also involving Fujifilm, HTC, and even Apple already being resolved in favor of Kodak. Recently, Kodak has been trying to keep their heads above the water and it is said that all of these court cases are basically a means for them to keep the lights on and to keep from going bankrupt. Kodak has listed which patents Samsung is allegedly infringing upon, but has not said which devices are at fault. Could it be the Galaxy Tab 10.1, or even our dear Galaxy Nexus?

U.S. Patent No. 6,292,218 – “Electronic Camera For Initiating Capture of Still Images While Previewing Motion Images”

U.S. Patent No. 7,210,161 – “Automatically Transmitting Images from an Electronic Camera to a Service Provider Using a Network Configuration File”

U.S. Patent No. 7,742,084 – “Network Configuration File for Automatically Transmitting Images from an Electronic Still Camera”

U.S. Patent No. 7,453,605 – “Capturing Digital Images to be Transferred to an E-Mail Address”

U.S. Patent No. 7,936,391 – “Digital Camera with Communications Interface for Selectively Transmitting Images over a Cellular Phone Network and a Wireless LAN Network to a Destination

We have not seen any court dates and these hearings can sometimes be drawn out, so who knows when we will see an actual outcome. Does anyone have feelings toward Kodak and their attempts at keeping their business alive? Via: Engadget, Forbes

Peter Alfonso Releases Ice Cream Sandwich Build For Verizon's Motorola XOOM

Tim — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 14:15:12 +0000

Our buddy Pete Alfonso has released an Ice Cream Sandwich build for Motorola XOOM owners on Verizon's network. The WiFi version of the XOOM receives update love straight from Google and Moto, but with this Ice Cream Sandwich update having to go through Verizon, it tends to make the process a bit longer. For all of our friends who are impatient, you can grab the download link just below and enjoy ICS today! For installation, you will need to be rooted with a custom recovery installed that will allow users to flash custom zips. Just make sure to perform a backup and then wipe your device completely so no issues arise. Shoot your questions down below if you have any troubles and we can try to help. Download Link Cheers Ben!

Nielsen: In December, 91% of Smartphone Acquirers Purchased an Android Device or iPhone

Kellen — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 13:30:06 +0000

In the month of December, 91.4% of new smartphone acquirers purchased either an Android device or an iPhone. That number is up almost 5% from the previous two months, meaning RIM and Windows Phone continue to do nothing to entice consumers. The other important note that you are seeing blasted across every Apple site today, is the fact that Apple seems to have made massive jumps in a couple of categories. Most notably is the graph above that shows recent acquirers. What I will say to that is, it's not like Android phones are being purchased at a reduced rate even though many would jump to that conclusion by looking at this chart. According to Andy Rubin, daily activations are still increasing each and every day. All that this means is that the iPhone 4S came out and a whole bunch of people that were waiting for it, bought it. Does it mean that Android is dying or in decline? Not for a second. In fact, if you look at their numbers for "All Smartphone Users," Android jumped up another 3.3% from a similar report in September, while iOS's share only gained 2%.

So again, it's a 2-horse race - has been for a while. If you are still doing the Apple vs. Android battle and getting angered by it or insulting someone from the other OS personally, you need therapy. Android is not iOS. iOS is not Android. They will never be the same (which is a good thing) and not one of you is right or wrong in choosing one or the other. Choices are good, folks. No need to hate. Via: Nielsen

Oracle: "Daily Android Activations Likely Generate $10 Million in Annual Mobile Advertising Revenue for Google"

Tim — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 12:52:56 +0000

In a letter to the court concerning a recent Java-related patent infringement case against Google (go figure), Oracle has divulged that it is their belief that Google earns roughly $10 million each day in annual revenue from Android activations. Oracle did not mention how them came upon this number, but patent expert Florian Muller feels that they arrived at the alleged integer by basing it on the fact that Google earns roughly $14 per Android activation. Oracle is also claiming that Google's use of Java in Android now stretches far beyond just Android. This product is allowing them to grow Google+, make money from the Android Market, etc. If it isn't clear yet, this is Oracle's way of trying to raise the amount of money they feel they are owed by Google for allegedly using Java illegally. It's a smart move and the assessment is probably fair whether any of us like it or not. Wait, did I just call a move made by a patent troll "fair?" Via: BGR, Foss Patents

Motorola XOOM Ice Cream Sandwich Update Changelog [IML77]

Kellen — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 12:11:20 +0000

Motorola was kind enough to release the official changelog for the XOOM WiFi's Ice Cream Sandwich (Android 4.0.3) update this afternoon. The push started last night for many, although according to our own Tato, not everyone is able to pull it. The update itself is, well, ICS. Once you read the changelog below, you will understand that this is as stock as it gets, which is a good thing. The updated browser, swiping of notifications and tasks, new People/Gallery/Camera apps, and improved typing and spell-checking are all included. Full details after the break.

Android™ 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) Software Update for the Motorola XOOM™ (IML77)
Introduction We are pleased to announce the new software update for the Motorola XOOM (Wi-Fi). Android 4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich, delivers a refined user interface and introduces innovative features for tablet users. The software update includes numerous enhancements as well as providing additional features, and will roll out to XOOM. Install today for peak performance. For more information on Motorola updates and product support, visit us at www.motorola.com/myxoom. Who Can Use This Release: Motorola XOOM Wi-Fi users - USA only After downloading and installing the software release, you will notice: Updated Browser with faster rendering, zoom and pan Users can also now save pages for offline reading and request desktop versions of websites. Swipe to dismiss notifications, tasks, and browser tabs You can now dismiss individual notifications, apps from the Recent Apps list, and browser tabs with a simple swipe of a finger. Redesigned app launcher In All Apps launcher, you can now simply drag an app to get information about it, immediately uninstall it, or disable a pre-installed app. New System Font for Improved Readability An entirely new typeface (called Roboto) optimized for high resolution screens improves readability and brings a polished feel to the user interface. Updated “People” Application Replaces contacts and integrates seamlessly with Google+ and other social networks. Improved text input and spell-checking The keyboard now features improved accuracy to make text input faster. It also now includes an in-line spell checker to make corrections easier. Type with your voice Now you can simply touch the microphone on the keyboard and start talking to write emails, SMS, or any other text—more than 20 languages supported. Text appears in real time, so there’s no waiting for server processing. Richer and versatile imaging capabilities For capturing larger scenes, the camera introduces a single motion panorama mode. Also, you can now take still shots while shooting video just by tapping the screen as video continues to record. You can also launch camera directly from the Lockscreen. When you shoot videos, you can now choose from a number of silly faces and other fun effects which recognize individual facial features so you can give your friends big eyes, squeeze heads, make noses bigger, or change the scenery with background replacement. Redesigned Gallery app with photo editor To help pictures look their best, the Gallery now offers a powerful photo editor so you can crop and rotate pictures, set levels, remove red eyes, add effects, and much more. Richer, resizable widgets You can expand widgets to show more content, or shrink them to save space. You can receive the update over a Wi-Fi connection. If you are not connected via Wi-Fi, or your Motorola XOOM is off when the notification arrives, you will see the notification when you next connect to a Wi-Fi network. There is no charge for this update (other than any network data charges). Subject to change without notice.

Via: Twitter, Motorola

Tip: Change Keyboard Themes in Ice Cream Sandwich Without Root

Kellen — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 11:37:47 +0000

When the Ice Cream Sandwich SDK first dropped and developers started building ROMs from it, a couple of the releases included a keyboard theme switcher. You could easily toggle between the old Gingerbread keyboard, the new ICS one, a "Stone" colored 'board, and even a basic grey version. Once Android 4.0 was released on phones though, the theme chooser disappeared, sort of. It's still embedded in Android, but you have to find it by using an app such as AnyCut that allows you to search your phone's available activities. To switch keyboards themes: 1. Download and install AnyCut. 2. Open AnyCut and create a "New shortcut." 3. Choose "Activity" and then find and select "Android keyboard Debug settings." 4. Name the shortcut whatever you like and then find it placed on your home screen. 5. Open the shortcut, tap "Keyboard theme" and then pick a theme. 6. Open a text box and enjoy! *H/T to AnandTech for the "hidden" menu reminder.

Two New Google+ App Features on the Way: What's Hot List and Seeing Who +1'd Something

Kellen — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 11:02:11 +0000

The Google+ team introduced a couple of new features to the mobile web version of the service today: a What's Hot list and the ability to see who has +1'd something. Both features will be included in Android and iOS apps in the near future:

With What's Hot, you can now see some of the most interesting content being shared on Google+ with a flick of your thumb. To use it, just swipe to the right of your Circles stream.
To see who +1'd a post in the stream, just click on the +1 count underneath the post. It's a small improvement that makes it easier to engage with others around content.

Gettin' better by the day. Via: Google+

Tired of the Hotel Scene? Then Check Out Airbnb For A More Homey Travel Experience

Tim — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 10:30:04 +0000

There are plenty of business folks out there that have to stay in motels and hotels more than they even see there own homes. And how about when you have to visit relatives for the holidays or other events and you are forced to find the nearest Motel 6 - that's no fun. Introducing Airbnb, which allows you to search private home and apartment listings made available to travelers by the owners. So instead of having to squeeze into a tiny motel, find yourself a nice full-sized apartment for the same price the next time you have to go out of town. After doing a quick search through the Portland area, there are some really beautiful apartments that even I wouldn't mind stealing for the night. Go enjoy a new experience. Market Link

Verizon Lights Up 4G LTE Network on January 19 in 5 New Markets, Expanding in 3 Others

Kellen — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 09:49:29 +0000

This Thursday, Verizon will flip the switch on 5 new 4G LTE markets while also expanding in 3 others. These are the first wave of new locations to go live in 2012, but we will likely see more in the very near future. In fact, just yesterday we talked about Peoria, IL going live, yet it did not make this new list. As of January 19, Big Red's super fast network will cover more than 200 million people in 195 markets. New Markets:

Glen Falls, NY
Utica, NY
Lawton, OK
Brownsville, TX
McAllen, TX

Expansions:

Atlanta, GA
Houston, TX
Spokane, WA

Focus Group Reveals Casio 4G LTE Quad-core Phone, Clam Shell Devices, and New Phone Protection Tech

Kellen — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 09:37:08 +0000

A reader of DL was fortunate enough to spend some time in a focus group within the last couple of days and came away with a spec list for a Casio phone that may actually interest some of you. There were other devices on display including a set of clam shells, but we will get to those in a minute. Remember, that our reader is going off of pure memory here, as focus groups almost never allow you to bring in a phone (for obvious reasons). He also mentioned that most of the phones were headed to Verizon. Casio Big Boy (obviously a name I just made up) The Casio phone that we just mentioned was apparently the only one that truly stood out. It's ultra slim (possibly 7.9mm), had a 4.5" or 4.7" Super AMOLED display, quad-core processor, NFC, 4G LTE, 8MP rear camera, 2MP front shooter, 2000 mAh battery, and ran the "latest Android" version (pictures looked like Ice Cream Sandwich). The USB port was on the top left, headphone jack on the top right, microSD on the left side of the phone, and the volume rocker and lock switch were on the right. Those were the only physical buttons, meaning this could have on-screen soft keys like we have seen on the Galaxy Nexus. Our reader described the phone as "beautifully simplistic" and mentioned that the top and bottom were slightly curved (again, like the G-Nex). Other Phones:

Clam Shells: Our reader saw 4 different clam shell devices that act as any other clam shell device does. You are able to fully multi-task between the screens, drag and drop from one to the other, etc. He did mention that they were ultra-slim as well, something we wish previous clam shells were.
New G'Zone by Casio: A new G'Zone phone was also there, was as big as the "Big Boy" we mentioned up top, and looked similar to the previous G'Zone phones as a ruggedized mean machine.
5" Phones: There was a mockup of a big ol' 5" white phone. Our reader said that it looked nice, but didn't feel all that great in hand. Could have been the mockup though.

Other Tech: The focus group was not only for phones, but for tech that we could see in phones very soon. Participants were shown phones that were waterproof for up to 30 minutes in 1 meter of liquid, shockproof from drops of 1.22 meters, and had "ruggedized" exteriors. Sounds like the new G'Zone to me. They also spoke of a swiveling, solar-charging car dock. One of the features allowed you to easily communicate with another car that had a similar phone or car dock. Interesting, to say the least. And lastly, participants were asked if manufacturer warranties should be longer than 1 year. Take it for what it's worth, but there have been times where we have seen some of these focus group products come to life. Props to our reader for remembering that much info in such a short amount of time. Does a Casio phone interest anyone? Even with those specs? Cheers ___!

Educate Yourself on SOPA/PIPA - the More Your Learn, the Scarier it Gets

Kellen — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 08:34:29 +0000

If your life includes the internet at all, then you have likely heard of the SOPA and PIPA bills that if passed by Congress, could essentially ruin your online experience forever. The initial goal of them was to stop foreign websites from hosting and distributing pirated works, but as these bills have evolved, the world has realized that they will do much more than that. Both website owners and their users will face some pretty severe punishments should you be found to at all be involved in distributing copyrighted material. Now, at first glance, that sentence probably doesn't scare most of you, however, once you read the vague and grey mess of these bills, you may realize that you are probably already violating in some way. As you cruise around the web today, you will notice that sites like Google and Mozilla have "blacked out" their front pages to show that they are firmly against both of these bills. While I cannot and will not tell anyone how to act when it comes to the political environment, I will say that if you are not familiar with PIPA and SOPA, that you educate yourself today. This is serious stuff, and as with any major political movement, it is in your best interest to learn all that you can. And I fully understand that this is not directly related to Android, but in the big scheme of things, this site and every other tech site that you read will be affected by this.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQI6r_kc3ZE[/youtube]

Worth Reading:

Mashable - Why SOPA is Dangerous
Google - SOPA and PIPA overview and who is against it
EFF - A brief but thorough overview
Wikipedia - Q&A session
Email your Senators

And if those aren't enough to get you going, I suggest you Google it. :)

Ice Cream Sandwich Update Rolling Out to XOOM WiFi Now

Kellen — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 00:50:35 +0000

At the tail end of last week, an Ice Cream Sandwich update file for the Motorola XOOM WiFi was posted up across the interwebs, giving experienced users a chance for manual installation. If those instructions appeared to be too much work, you no longer have to wait to update. The update, according to the flood of emails in our inbox, is rolling out now to all XOOM WiFi models. To pull it, cruise into Settings>About tablet>System updates. Cheers Max, Zeph, Brian and Nicolas!

Tuesday Poll: State of Your Android Phone - Rooted, Stock, or ROM?

Kellen — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 17:35:37 +0000

It has been a while since we asked the DL community how their phone rolls when it comes to rooting. And since a certain root-friendly device was released last month on Verizon, it's about time we ask again to get a feel for it all. Are you unrooted and sticking with what the manufacturer has provided? Are you rooted, but not interested in changing anything substantially? Or did you go all in and toss on a custom ROM, theme, kernel, etc.? As always, feel free to leave your setup in the comments - specific phone, ROM, theme, and kernel are appreciated. [poll id="124"]

Samsung: We are Not Interested in Buying RIM

Kellen — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 16:04:18 +0000

Following this morning's wild rumor that RIM was hoping for a takeover by Samsung, the Canadian-based company's stock jumped more than 10 percent. We just have one thing to say following a new report out of Reuters - if you bought stock pre-rumor, you may want to sell immediately as Samsung came out this afternoon to shoot down the story.

"We haven't considered acquiring the firm and are not interested in (buying RIM)," Samsung spokesman James Chung said.

One thing they did not mention is whether or not they have been in talks to license any of RIM's products, but we'll take their spokesman's word on this one. For now, that is. Via: Reuters

Whale Trail Is Android's Newest Game Filled With A Baby Whale And Rainbows

Tim — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 15:15:07 +0000

Not only have the developers done an amazing job at creating Android's newest and cutest game called Whale Trails, but this game seriously rocks. It might seem silly to have a baby whale and its rainbow trail fly through the sky smashing thunder clouds while bumping trippy hypnotic music. But don't worry, once you start trying to collect the stars and see how challenging the game can be, you will find yourself not able to put it down. There is a special 99 cent tag on the game during its time of release. Go have some fun! Market Link ($0.99) [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nhnd8KQqbeU[/youtube]

Call Of Duty: Elite App Hits Android Market, Still Has A Lot Of Work To Make It Useable

Eric — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 14:35:11 +0000

The biggest video game franchise in the world, Call of Duty was looking to expand itself to the web and mobile with the release of its supplemental service Call of Duty: Elite. They said that there would be a mobile side of the service that keeps track of your kills and overall stats in the game and it has finally hit the Android Market, but is not doing too well out of the gate. Screenshots of the application's flaws can only describe what it needs to fix.

Users are reporting many log-in problems and saying that emails are invalid when they should work. The biggest problem though, is that once you get into the actual app, as I did on my Galaxy Nexus, the application does not scale to fit the screen. Maybe this is an Ice Cream Sandwich problem more than the phone but nevertheless, after the botched launch of Elite itself this is not welcome news. Other than the aforementioned problems, the app works pretty well. It allows you to track your stats and challenges and even allows you to change your custom layouts on the fly and send them to the game. If only it will get updated, it will be a fantastic start to a good application.

Video games like this could potentially have a huge presence in the mobile area but launches like this are not helping their cause. It remains to be seen how Activision will update the app but we hope that it's sooner than later.

Cheers William!

Verizon's 4G LTE Goes Live in Peoria, IL

Kellen — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 14:00:42 +0000

Who knew we had so many readers in the Peoria, IL region? According to the influx of emails to our inbox over the last 24 hours, this fine city has been given the green light from Verizon for its 4G LTE service. A press release or notice is absent from the situation, but you won't find anyone around these parts complaining. While we will welcome in the area to the wonders of LTE, we will also welcome you to the world of percentage watching, outlet hunting, and 2rd or 3rd battery carrying. Cheers Adam, Kris, Geoff, and everyone else from this morning!

Samsung Looks To Beef Up Batteries And Tweak Radios In 2012 For Extended Life

Tim — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 13:25:38 +0000

Are we starting to realize that many of the features we request for in our smart devices are finally catching up with us and killing our batteries? We have more powerful cameras, huge screens, 4G LTE, and now we have come to an age of quad-core processors. In an interview with CNET, the VP of product innovation at Samsung said they plan on doing as much as they can to help beef up their handset's batteries to last a full day of moderate to heavy usage by tweaking radios including WiFi and 4G so they won't consume so much battery. With companies such as Motorola busting out whopper batteries such as the 3300mAh one found in the RAZR MAXX, Samsung should have no problems marketing a smartphone that will last its users all day. Via: Engadget

Seidio Releases 3800mAh Galaxy Nexus Battery, Your Tank Has Arrived Sans NFC Support

Kellen — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 12:44:13 +0000

2100mAh at $25 not enough to get your Galaxy Nexus through a day? Seidio has you covered with their newly released 3800mAh behemoth that puts the DROID RAZR MAXX's 3300 juicer to shame. OK that's a lie, since Motorola actually maintained a sleek and minimal size with theirs. This Seidio extended battery will give your G-Nex a lovely lady hump. Again I lie, this thing is not lovely, but it will last a long time. Oh, it also doesn't support NFC. Comparison shot of the thickness below.

Via: Seidio ($69.95) Cheers MrPicolas!

Rumor: RIM Looking to be Acquired, Hopes That It's by Samsung (Updated)

Kellen — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 12:11:08 +0000

Update: Samsung has responded, saying that they are not interested in purchasing RIM. According to a report out of the BGR camp, RIM is actively seeking potential candidates to purchase the quickly dying, former king of the smartphone market. Co-CEO Jim Balsillie has met with "almost every company that might be interested" in all or part of the pie, asking for anywhere from $12-15 billion for it all. Who is their top choice? Samsung. Samsung, after a stellar 2011, seems like a decent choice. After all, Sammie has yet to fully tap into the enterprise market as Motorola has attempted over the last year. What better way to strengthen that aspect of your business than by acquiring the best in the industry? Also, Blackberry Messenger (BBM) has been brought up as a major selling point. While rumors over the last few months have suggested that will see a BBM client on Android, you would hope that an Android manufacturer owning the product would speed up that time frame. I'm just wondering if BBM is really worth spending that kind of cash for. Sure, it's popular and all, but I personally do not know a single person that has stuck with a Blackberry device just to have BBM. It's a nice service and all, but that topping your list for reasons to spend $15 billion? Not so much. Building up your mobile enterprise security business, definitely. Patents? Maybe. Thoughts on a RIM acquisition by Samsung? Is anything that RIM is doing these days even worth buying? Via: BGR

Galaxy Nexus Docks and Accessories Delayed Across the Pond, Time Table for U.S. Release Now Really Uncertain

Kellen — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 11:48:44 +0000

There are more than a few of us that have been eyeing UK retailers on the daily to see if they have flipped their "Coming soon!" signs for Galaxy Nexus accessories to "In Stock!" With the U.S. ~~plastic piece of junk~~ car dock disappointing everyone and the HDMI dock no where in sight, ordering from across the pond may be our only option to get real accessories. Well, we are going to have to wait longer according to Clove UK. They were once projecting a late January launch, but have now switched to the end of February. Also, sites like Expansys are hoping to have the 3-pin car dock in stock this month here in the U.S., however, we wouldn't be surprised if it didn't make it either. MobileFun and Amazon UK have pushed their dates out as well. Via: Clove, Expansys, MobileFun, Amazon

Wozniak: I Wish My iPhone Did The Things My Android Does, I Really Do

Tim — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 11:00:46 +0000

Would things have been better if Steve Jobs just admitted that he liked some of Android's features? Was it impossible for him to show just a little bit of love for us? At least we know Steve "Woz" Wozniak himself enjoys parts of Google's operating system when compared to his favored iPhone 4S. In a brief interview with the Daily Beast, Woz held nothing back when it came to comparing the two iOS to Android.

My primary phone is the iPhone. I love the beauty of it. But I wish it did all the things my Android does, I really do.

There are things we as Android users enjoy that our Apple counterparts cannot. We have a wonderfully integrated navigation system, freedom to customize our devices with ROMs and custom kernels, and the ability to install 3rd party applications. But as most of us do know, that Apple has Siri. A personal assistant built right into your device. Unfortnately, the Woz is no true advocate for Siri.

I used to ask Siri, 'What are the five biggest lakes in California?' and it would come back with the answer. Now it just misses. It gives me real estate listings. I used to ask, 'What are the prime numbers greater than 87?' and it would answer. Now instead of getting prime numbers, I get listings for prime rib, or prime real estate.

Just because you do not care for certain features or feel that your competitors might have a bit of an advantage in certain aspects, doesn't mean you should abandon your favorite handset. Mr. Wozniak still rocks his iPhone on the daily and even recommends the 4S to all people who are curious as to which device he would choose.

The people I recommend the iPhone 4S for are the ones who are already in the Mac world, because it’s so compatible, and people who are just scared of computers altogether and don’t want to use them. The iPhone is the least frightening thing. For that kind of person who is scared of complexity, well, here’s a phone that is simple to use and does what you need it to do.

We love Woz. He keeps it real. Let's hope we can enjoy his antics for a long time. Via: The Daily Beast

Galaxy Nexus Extended Battery Back in Stock at Verizon, Still 50% Off

Kellen — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 10:10:20 +0000

And it's back. The extended battery for the Galaxy Nexus at 50% off is available once again through Verizon's online store. We have talked about this deal time and time again, but we really want to make sure that everyone jumps on it. This extended battery may not double the standard, but at $25, it's worth having the extra juice and extra battery as backup. Buy. Cheers bigknowzz, CG and everyone else!

DROID Bionic 5.9.902 Update Rolling Out to Testers, Here is the Changelog

Kellen — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 09:25:34 +0000

The mysterious 5.9.901 update for the DROID Bionic that popped up only a week or so after the officially massive bug fixer looks to have been a tester build. How it made it into the public is beyond me, but we just received word that the 5.9.902 update is headed to testers tonight. The changes are not all that significant or different from the .901 build, but grabbed the new bits and threw them into a list for you below.

Remove VCast Music preload
Add Amazon MP3 app preload
Motorola Terms and Conditions screen automatically enables data collection/location details
Google security patch to block access to change Home panel icons
After factory reset, location consent screen shown on activation screen
Change “Terms and Condition” screen title to “Motorola Terms of Service”

Nice of them to remove one piece of bloatware and at least swap it out for an app that we use on a daily basis, Amazon MP3. The other stuff listed there though, is a bit odd. From the info that we have been given, we cannot tell if Moto is now automatically enabling data collection/location details or if they are removing this auto feature. We also are not exactly sure what Google's security patch to "block access to change Home panel icons" means. We will hopefully know more this evening. To see the full changelog from .901 to .902, be sure to check this post.

This is Probably Not the Samsung Galaxy SIII, But It's Fun to Imagine That it is

Kellen — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 08:56:07 +0000

During Samsung's 2012 CES press event, a number of their new products were on display including their point-and-shoot camera lineup. While walking through the demo of them, the Sammie representative on stage kicked off a video, showing that you will soon be able to remotely control things like zooming and picture taking from your smartphone. The phone that was used in the video has got the tech world all excited this morning, as it appears to be some sort of ultra-thin Galaxy S device. Could it be the Galaxy SIII? Chances are that it is not. Sure, the device has an edge-to-edge screen, is unbelievably thin, and includes that famous physical home key (that we wish would disappear forever) - all things we expect to see on the SGS3. But if you continue to watching past the quick viewfinder demo, a Galaxy SII appears on the screen. This phone is likely just a render and nothing official. We should know for sure next month at Mobile World Congress. Hit up the 7:00 mark to see the phone in action.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NxJloZ1Rq0E[/youtube]

Via: SamMobile

16GB DROID RAZR in Black Available Today for $199, White and Purple Versions Not Until January 23

Kellen — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 08:13:34 +0000

Verizon just pinged our inbox to let us know that the 16GB version of the DROID RAZR in black is now available online for $199. The white and purple versions (our hands-on) will be available on January 23 for the same price. If you are confused as to what the "16GB version" is, I'll try to clean that up. What Big Red and Motorola have done, is reintroduce the original RAZR with 16GB of internal storage and then left out an SD card, bringing the price down $100. Since they want to move the RAZR MAXX at $299, they had do something like this or this phone would have just been passed up. It should be noted that the 16GB version will still have an SD card slot, so you can simply swap in your own card to get additional storage. It really is the same exact RAZR that was released back in November, only it doesn't come pre-loaded with external storage.

CyanogenMod 9 Music Player Released for Download

Kellen — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 08:00:29 +0000

The CyanogenMod 9 music player that was teased a couple of weeks back is now available for download. The app will be in the market soon, but for now, you will have to download and manually install it via the link below. Why use this app over the stock Google Music app? For a few reasons.

Long pressing and flinging gets you special actions
You can search for songs in the market from almost any screen
Share tracks with social outlets
Customize the notifications music player
It can easily be themed, meaning themes are on the way
Shaking your phone or flipping it can activate special actions
So much more...

One thing to note - this will not pull in your Google Music collection and is only for tracks on your device. To my knowledge, Google has not opened up that service to anyone, so until they do, you'll have to load music onto your phone in order to take advantage of apps like these. Download: CM_Music.apk Install just as you would any other non-market application. Download, tap when finished, install, enjoy. *Note - This more than likely will not work on anything that isn't running Ice Cream Sandwich. Via: SeeingPixels

DROID Incredible Added to HTC's Bootloader Unlock List

Kellen — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 16:35:41 +0000

Doin' big things. After giving the Incredible 2, Rezound and Thunderbolt access to their bootloader unlocking tool, HTC has gone way back in time, giving the original Incredible the same access. That's right, a device pre-DROID X and DROID 2 now has an unlockable bootloader. And again, we turn to you, Motorola. Via: HTCDev, (2)

Video: Google Maps Game Headed to Google+

Kellen — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 13:08:34 +0000

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVum3HsmZ6M[/youtube]

This may not necessarily be Android-related, but Google+ and its growth is still fun to talk about. And with that growth we have the introduction of a new Google Maps game that's essentially like the wooden pyramid game, only in a virtual setting on real streets through Maps. You will find city and indoor maps to help you "play your world, like never before."

Both Adobe Flash 11 and Adobe AIR Receive New Security Updates

Kellen — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 12:41:40 +0000

Since we know that Adobe is no longer adding features to Flash 11 and AIR, the new updates that were released this morning can be nothing more than security fixes. We love updates, but these reminders that mobile Flash is dead are sort of depressing. Market Links: Flash | AIR Cheers DL app tipster!

Rumor: Galaxy Note Headed to Verizon as the Galaxy Journal

Kellen — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 11:18:10 +0000

The Samsung Galaxy Note was everywhere last week at CES. Attendees from other parts of the globe were carrying it, busses were covered with massive Note decals, and news coverage of it could not be missed. With its massive 5.3" HD Super AMOLED display, 1.4GHz dual-core processor, and HD cameras, we aren't surprised that rumors of it finding its way onto Verizon would start popping up already. According to an "industry analyst" that spoke with the Examiner, the device is "certainly" coming to Verizon and Sprint during the first half of the year, potentially as the Galaxy Journal. Our sources have yet to mention the device to this point, but would love to see it on Big Red. When the device was introduced early in 2011, we had mixed emotions on the size. However, after getting our hands on it at CES last week, we might be sold. I should point out that to my knowledge, Samsung does not have a CDMA/LTE model available anywhere in the world yet. The HSPA+/LTE model is available across the globe now, with AT&T availability happening very soon. Interested in a 5.3" daily driver? Via: Examiner

CES 2012 Round-up: A Whole Bunch of the Same Alongside One Shining 7" Quad-core Tablet

Kellen — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 10:16:33 +0000

The DL team left Las Vegas Friday afternoon, after a week long journey from press room to convention center to booth to party to bed to everything all over again. It was the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in case you were wondering - a gathering of 140,000+ tech industry players, that happens every year in the desert. It's a time for companies to tell the world what they have in store for the coming year. Some of it "wows!" while most of it leaves you wondering why on Earth anyone would ever need such a product. This year, we had had one from that first category, followed by a bunch of stuff that a few may need, and most may never lose any sleep over not having.

Star of the Entire Show

During NVIDIA's press event last Monday, they invited Asus onto the stage to unveil a new product called the Memo 370T. What could be so special about another 7" Android tablet? Well, it just so happens to have NVIDIA's new Tegra 3 quad-core processor on the inside, an IPS display, 1GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage, an HDMI port, rear camera, and weighs next to nothing. Again, you ask, "Why do we care?" Because Asus plans to introduce this tablet at $249. In an era where tablet manufacturers think that they can't succeed unless they tie their products to carriers and paste ridiculously high prices onto them, Asus is going to prove them all wrong. The name may be unofficial, along with the final build, but all signs point to this puppy landing in Q2 of this year. Dear Motorola and Samsung, please take note.

Best Phone

At a CES filled with a handful of phones that failed to surprise or blow anyone away, there was one that stood out above them all and that was the DROID RAZR MAXX (our hands-on) by Motorola. Sure, it runs Blur, has a locked bootloader, and looks identical to the RAZR that was released only a few weeks ago, but the highlight here is the battery. Motorola packed in a 3300mAh battery into this device, yet managed to keep it under 9mm in thickness. For reference, you can't even buy a 3300mAh battery as an extended for most phones. And while most of us that picked up the original RAZR feel completely insulted by this release and like we deserve an apology or the opportunity to trade ours in for this battery beast, we can still admit that this device is impressive.

A Whole Bunch of Shoulder-Shruggers

After the Memo 370T and the RAZR MAXX, we were left with a whole bunch of products that looked nice and will likely perform at top tier levels, only none of them broke new ground on any front. We had the LG Spectrum (our hands-on) and its 4.5" IPS HD display, dual-core processor, and wallet-friendly $199 price. On paper this phone would have made the world drool in 2011. Heading into 2012 though, it just feels like another skinned dual-core LTE device that isn't running Ice Cream Sandwich. Followed by the Spectrum, we had a couple of additions to the DROID lineup thanks to Motorola. The first is a purple version of the RAZR (gallery) that is identical to the original RAZR, only it has a purple exterior. Nothing you haven't seen before. Moto also introduced the DROID 4 (our hands-on) though, as the world's thinnest 4G LTE slider. We know that many of you have been waiting almost 2 years for this device, but after just a few minutes with it, we came away feeling on the fence. Sure it's nice to have a dual-core processor, keyboard and LTE in one package, however, it just feel like it needed a little something extra. Then we had the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 LTE (our hands-on), which for the most part, is one of the more impressive tablets we have seen to date. It is incredibly thin, has a 1.4GHz dual-core processor, vibrant Super AMOLED Plus screen, and dual cameras. The only thing not "wowing" us with this new Tab, is the fact that it is tied to a carrier which likely means a bloated, sky-high price tag on a 2-year contract. This is another of those that we hope goes WiFi-only in the near future. Asus may have stolen the show with their 7" quad-core tablet, but they certainly pissed off every single new Transformer Prime owner when they announced an upgraded model that has fully working GPS and WiFi. Petitions, social attacks and all of that fun is already under way. Acer announced their first quad-core tablet which should drop at a reasonable price, that is if they follow their original Iconia Tab model. Toshiba unveiled their 2012 lineup of tablets in a variety of sizes including a 13.3-inch behemoth. Their Excite X10, which will be the first of them all to hit stores, currently holds the title of "world's thinnest tablet." Overall, we liked what we saw from Toshiba, but again, we kept waiting to be blown away by some ground-breaking new tech. You can view our quick write-up on their tablets here. Fujitsu had the world's first Tegra 3 on display, only it was locked up tight behind a box as a "prototype." There is an above average chance that we will see it at Mobile World Congress (MWC) next month in a more finalized state, but at CES, it was tough to really have any strong impressions of it one way or another.

Random Stuff

We got our hands on the Galaxy Nexus portrait dock while hangin' with Samsung. Unfortunately, they could not give us a date as to when it would be released. We handed them our contact info and they hit us back by the end of the week with a "it should be available now at the Samsung store." Of course, we all know that not to be the case. Motorola announced that it would release far fewer phones this year and focus more on marketing better products. They also announced a new multi-year partnership with Intel to be able to include their Atom processors in Moto phones. The jury is still out on whether or not this means much, but I think we all know the history of Intel and the fact that this could be a game changer down the road. And speaking of Intel, we went hands-on with their "Medfield" developer phone. It was nice, for a developer kit. The folks at I'm Watch finally showed off their Android watch product - we were not all that impressed. Being Italian, it had plenty of style. Other than style though, it lacked any sort of speed or OS polish and was a lag monster. Gorilla Glass 2's strength was put on display. We captured the demo on video.

Completely Random CES Notes

On a completely random note, Motorola interviewed us briefly at their booth, asking what we love about Android. Let's just say that the video will likely never go public after I tossed in "unlocking bootloaders" within the first 20 seconds. :)
Two booth girls from Wicked Audio nabbed us to try and sell us on the quality of their headphones when compared to Skull Candy's. It took me an extra listen before I could tell the difference during their blind sound test, but Tato got it wrong. Boy was that booth girl not happy with him.
The number of times you get run into at CES by people walking with their head down, staring at their smartphone is uncountable.
Tato made it into the Intel press event, but I was locked out after sitting through LG's entire presentation. He had saved me a seat, but when they shut everyone else out, he moved over onto the seat he was saving for me to let a girl take his spot. This was also right next to our pal Phil from Android Central. At the end of the event, Intel announced that they had stashed 50 Asus Zenbook ultrabooks under select seats for press to take home. The Zenbook was under Tim's chair. I was jealous all week until Friday when Tim found a card in the box that read "this is a loaner and is not yours to keep."
Justin Bieber made an appearance, and we ran into a couple of our fellow industry personalities who were ecstatic about the news, even bragging about getting pictures with him. We will do our best to keep their names from this post. Love you guys!
Say Media threw one of the better parties of the week at the Mirage's 1Oak nightclub, even introducing an indie band named GIVERS. As a predominantly older crowd, their 5 song encore was not exactly accepted by the entire room. While there were no boos, calls for the DJ to return could be heard in dark corners...or just next to us at the bar.
Dear dueling pianists at the Palazzo, talking trash to the tiny crowd because they aren't digging your rendition of Katy's Perry's "Fireworks" is not going to fill that tip jar.

Final Thoughts

Again, the star of the show was clearly the Asus $250 tablet. We talked about it constantly throughout most of the week. After that, we saw a handful of nice products that will likely never create as much buzz as I think these companies think they will. Most of our focus is now on MWC in February, where the world will focus all of their attention on Samsung and the possible unveiling of the Galaxy SIII. Also, a number of companies kept asking us if were going to be at MWC as they had saved some of their spice for it. So overall, CES 2012 was another fun time as a tech geek, but it just didn't have the same buzz as 2011 where we saw LTE, dual-core processors, Honeycomb, Android tablets and so much more for the first time. Here's to hoping MWC brings it.

Asus Facebook: Original Transformer Ice Cream Sandwich Update in the "Process of Being Approved by Google"

Tim — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 09:53:54 +0000

Over the weekend, Asus confirmed to a concerned "OG" Transformer owner that his device was indeed getting the Ice Cream Sandwich update. From the looks of it, as soon as Google approves the new firmware, we will then be in business. Congrats to Asus' social networking skills and keeping their worried customers in the loop. Via: Facebook Cheers Michael!

Monday Poll: Random Reboots Plaguing Your Galaxy Nexus?

Kellen — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 08:28:50 +0000

A report concerning Galaxy Nexus random reboots is making waves this morning, so we thought we would turn to the greatest Android community on the planet for feedback. Google is apparently aweare of the issue and is looking into a fix, assuming they can find one. I'll admit that I have seen more than a handful of emails from readers over the last few weeks that have indeed experienced reboots at times, but having not experienced any myself (or Tim for that matter), we were waiting to see if the issue grew. Well, once I hit Vegas for CES last week, my phone actually did start locking up and then rebooting multiple times a day. It would normally happen for me when toggling through notifications, but we are hearing that there may be multiple causes. The odd thing is, now that I'm back in Portland, have not had 1 reboot in 3 days. I should also point out though, that I am running the leaked radios from a few weeks back and may not be the best of examples. Since many of you are also running these though, we have added them to the poll. [poll id="123"] Via: BGR, Google

Galaxy Nexus in White Spotted Overseas, Looks Like a Bigger Nexus S in White

Kellen — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 08:15:43 +0000

And just a week after we saw the official render for the white Galaxy Nexus, a real unit has appeared in the wild. As a reminder, the GSM version is headed to the UK some time in February, but so far, we have heard no plans from Verizon to release an LTE version here in the States. While we would welcome it as a nice change from the all black slab trend we need a break from, we should point out something. As someone that has the white Nexus S (also a Google "experience" device), I must say that the white version isn't just a new white shell. Google treats this as a completely new build on the phone, meaning it doesn't update at the same exact time as every other Nexus S. I'm not necessarily talking fragmentation here, but I am saying that if a white version does come, I would not be surprised to see the original G-Nex receive an update while those that forked out for the white version are stuck waiting another few weeks. Hope that made sense. Now, jump past the break to get a view of that backside.

d Via: HDBlog.it Cheers Adam!

Early Ice Cream Sandwich Build for the HTC Rezound Leaked

Kellen — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 12:53:42 +0000

What sounds like a very early Ice Cream Sandwich build for the HTC Rezound has been leaked this morning. I say "early" because from the what we have read, the build is a mix of HTC Sense 3.5 and some stock ICS icons and images. While we no longer have a Rezound in house to try and flash this, all signs point to it being unusable on a daily basis. This isn't all that surprising though, since we weren't actually expecting a release of this to the phone so soon, but at least we can see HTC is puttin' in work on it. Flash at your own risk, folks. And is it just me, or is the Rezound becoming more and more attractive by the day? A new $199 price, unlockable bootloader, one of the most beautiful screens we have ever seen on a mobile device, and the best camera of any Verizon phone, are making this phone worth another look. Via: RootzWiki

Starting January 16, Alltel Device Can No Longer Be Activated on Verizon Networks

Kellen — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 12:41:28 +0000

Some of you may remember the purchase of Alltel by Verizon back in 2008? On Monday (January 16), almost 3.5 years after making their merger decision public, they will no longer accept Alltel devices on their network. And in case you were wondering, here are still Alltel locations in various regions throughout the country. Verizon bought the majority of them and AT&T picked up most of what was left, but there are still some in the wild. So if you own a Samsung Showcase, you better head into a VZW store today in order to move it to Big Red. Cheers Anonymous!

Motorola Wins Initial 3-Patent Case From Apple

Kellen — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 12:25:32 +0000

In an attempt to not bore you with the ongoing patent war that Apple has waged against anyone who manufactures an Android phone, we will cut straight to the point here. Thankfully this time - unlike in HTC's most recent case - we have good news. The ITC (International Trade Commission) has ruled that Motorola does not violate any of 3 patents that Apple included in the suit. The case was originally started back in 2010, suffered through a ruling delay, and is now finding an initial determination. I'm hesitant to say that we should all run around flippin' the bird to anyone with an Apple product, because Moto has made it clear that this is an "initial" ruling. Definitely good news though. The brief statement from Motorola is below.

Motorola Mobility Comments on Initial Determination from ITC

ALJ determines that Motorola Mobility does not violate Apple’s patents
Jan. 13, 2012 LIBERTYVILLE, Ill. – Jan. 13, 2012 – Motorola Mobility Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: MMI) ("Motorola Mobility") today announced that it has received notice that the Administrative Law Judge (“ALJ”) in the U.S. International Trade Commission (“ITC”) action brought by Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) against Motorola Mobility has issued an initial determination. The ALJ ruled in favor of Motorola Mobility, finding no violation for any of the three Apple patents listed in Apple’s suit. “We are pleased with today’s favorable outcome for Motorola Mobility,” said Scott Offer, senior vice president and general counsel of Motorola Mobility. “Motorola Mobility has worked hard over the years to develop technology and build an industry-leading intellectual property portfolio. We are proud to leverage this broad and deep portfolio to create differentiated innovations that enhance the user experience.”

DROID 3 Drops to $99 at Verizon on Heels of DROID 4 Announcement

Kellen — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 12:16:46 +0000

Now that the DROID 4 is official, it's time for the DROID 3 to exit off stage. Released in July as one of the more powerful slider Android phones on the market, there was one thing that held it back - the lack of a 4G LTE radio. We gave it mostly positive remarks during our review, but it was tough for many to strongly consider this knowing that the future is LTE. In an attempt to offload remaining inventory, Verizon has dropped the price to $99 on a new 2-year contract. Buy. Cheers Jonathan!

Google Partnering With LG For Next Generation Of Google TVs?

Eric — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 13:30:53 +0000

If there was one thing that we took away from CES this week, it was that many companies are joining Google TV now that the software has matured a bit more. It seems that the folks at Google are already working on the next iteration of it with the news today that they could be offering LG a first-look at the next generation software.

This situation would be similar to Google partnering with Samsung and HTC on the Nexus devices. LG would be the first company to see the software and be able to make their own changes to it if they pleased. This doesn't mean we will be seeing a marketing campaign for a Nexus TV, but it would be pretty sweet, right? Will it be based on Ice Cream Sandwich possibly? We have a feeling that some of these questions will be answered at this year's Google I/O.

Via: Bloomberg

Madden NFL 12 Now 99 Cents In The Android Market

Tim — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 12:40:39 +0000

As we start getting down to the wire as far as NFL playoffs are concerned, Electronic Arts has lowered the price of Madden 12 to 99 cents for a limited time in the Android Market. With real teams and real players, you just can't help but get sucked into all the gridiron action that this game delivers. 99 cents - go grab it. So who is everyone rooting for this weekend? Go Niners! Market Link

DROID RAZR MAXX Will Be Available January 26 According to Motorola Website

Kellen — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 11:41:39 +0000

When Verizon and Motorola announced the DROID RAZR MAXX earlier in the week, they refused to get specific when it came to a release date and instead went with a "coming weeks" time frame. Maybe they should have read their own Motorola landing page for the phone as it lists January 26 as being the day. The price on contract will be $299. And don't forget to check out our hands-on video with the device from CES. Via: Motorola Cheers Mike C.!

DROID X2 Finally Gets Some CyanogenMod 7 Love

Eric — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 11:00:25 +0000

The Motorola Droid X2 was a tough nut to crack, but it seems that there has finally been a breakthrough as far as custom ROMs go. XDA user dragonzkiller has successfully brought CM7.2 to the handset that gave people headaches over it's locked bootloader. The ROM is almost fully featured as well:

Full Theme Support For Every Aspect of Your Phone
Incognito Browser Mode
DSP Equalizer
Lockscreen Customizations
Lockscreen Gestures
Fully Customized Pull Down Toggles

As far as installation goes, this one is a little bit tough so I suggest heading over to the XDA thread and following the instructions exactly. This has got to be good news to anyone with the X2 that was frustrated with the lack of development for this device. This brings one of the most stable and functional ROMs out there to your phone. Head over to XDA to get started. Via: XDA

Somehow HHGregg is Selling the Transformer Prime 32GB for $399

Kellen — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 10:05:43 +0000

Still haven't full committed to buying an Asus Transformer Prime? Will a $399 price point help? That's exactly what HHGregg is selling it at right now. We have no idea why they decided to slash the price by $100, but we will most definitely not be complaining. Buy. Cheers Mike!

Friday Poll: Most Memorable Moment From CES 2012?

Kellen — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 08:50:08 +0000

And we are off to the airport, officially closing out our time at CES 2012. While we will have a recap of sorts later on, I did want to say that I'm coming away a little disappointed. This wasn't even close to the CES of 2011 where we saw the introduction dual-core processors, the first wave of tablets, 4G LTE and more. It sort of felt like an in between year for mobile technology, at least at this event. From what we heard throughout the week, MWC in February could be massive. We still want to ask though, if you came away impressed by anything? Was their a best moment of CES for you? Are Verizon's new LTE phones top tier or so-so? Are their too many tablets on the market now, or not enough? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

Motorola XOOM Project Actually Is Ice Cream Sandwich, We Have A Flashable Zip For You (Updated)

Eric — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 07:30:52 +0000

We all knew that Motorola was cooking something up for XOOM users of their Feedback Network but we did not know it was going to be this big. The "project" that Motorola had in mind for the members of their network is an update to Android 4.0.3 Ice Cream Sandwich. The update has already started rolling out to members of the group last night and the community has been all over it. It is good to see a "Google Experience Device" getting the update finally and depending on how well this rollout goes, Moto could be looking to push this out to a wider swath of XOOM users fairly soon.

Solnarz, one of the main minds behind Tiamat which is one of the best known XOOM ROMs, released a .zip soon after news broke that this update was out in the wild. The .zip contains the official OTA in it's entirety but there is a catch; you must be stock and non-rooted to flash it. This means if you are rooted running a ROM, you will need to downgrade to Honeycomb HTK75D before applying this update.zip. Keep in mind as well, this update is meant for US WiFi XOOMs, anything other than that is risking it. If you are already stock and un-rooted on Honeycomb than this should be an easy install for you; just drop it onto your SDcard and then install via recovery. Any XOOM users going to have a crack at this?

Update.zip

Many users have been reporting that flashing the update with a thumb drive and a connected USB cable works best. Links to how to do it through that way can be found HERE.

UPDATE: How to flash Clockwork Recovery to your stock XOOM

My apologies on this one, it has been so long since I dealt with the stock XOOM recovery I forgot that it had no update.zip flashing capability so here is a quick walkthrough on how to install Clockwork Recovery to your device to allow you to update to Ice Cream Sandwich. This requires no root and should have no bearing on the installation of today's update.zip.

Instructions:

1. Download the recovery file image HERE. 2. Move the image file over to wherever your adb and fastboot files are set up in your computer. 3. Connect your XOOM via USB cable. 4. In your command prompt, type the following (fill in the XXXX's with the name of the image)

adb reboot bootloader
fastboot flash recovery recovery-solarnz-XXXXXX-XXXX.img
fastboot reboot

5. Let your XOOM reboot and your new recovery should be installed. To boot back into recovery you can type the following into your command prompt

adb reboot recovery

6. Now that you have your Clockwork Recovery installed just drop the ICS update.zip onto your SDcard, boot into recovery and select the "update.zip" function. Your XOOM should take care of the rest! Via: XDA

i'm Watch - The Newest Android Watch On The Streets Is Here, Finally

Tim — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 16:39:38 +0000

Smartphones are so 2011. This year it's all about the smartwatch. If you have been looking to combine your watch and your smartphone, then definitely give i'm Watch a look. i'm Watch has combined all your phone features into a classy looking watch that fits just perfectly right on your wrist. With a dedicated Bluetooth connection, i'm Watch can make calls, check emails, and all the other great features you would expect from a smart device. The watch was designed in Italy and it shows. With classy colors and silicone bands, the i'm Watch is definitely a conversation starter with anyone next to you. Depending on which color options and materials you choose, price varies. But the pricing starts at about $350. The watch runs Android 1.6 and I don't think it's the type of device that you should worry about being updated to Ice Cream Sandwich anytime soon. Gallery down below followed by a link to i'm Watches site. We had a few minutes to play with the product and you can definitely tell that the device runs Android 1.6. You can feel a bit of lag scrolling from screen to screen, but let's hope that the company who makes the watch has a few more kinks to work out before they officially launch the watch for global sales. Would anyone be willing to rock this sporty piece around town?

Online Store.

Quick First Look: Toshiba's 2012 Line of Tablets, Including a 13.3-Inch Beast

Kellen — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 15:10:50 +0000

In our last booth tour of the week, we hung out with the folks from Toshiba to see what they have in store for 2012. There were 4 tablets on display, some that will come to the U.S., others that will stay over in Japan. The most eye-popping was clearly the 13.3" behemoth that you are seeing above. It current remains nameless and has a mystery list of specs, but our mind is already running through ways to put such a massive portable tablet in action. Assuming of course that it is portable at that size. It had all of the standard ports such as micro-HDMI and USB. There were dual cameras and a similar back material to what you will find on the Excite X10. To see more of the beast, along with the rest of their 2012 works, jump past the break.

Excite X10

The Excite X10 will most definitely be in stores during the first half of this year. Of all the tablets on display in the Toshiba booth, this is the most ready and was actually available to be held. If you follow us on Google+ then you probably saw this device already. It boasts a 1.2GHz OMAP4430 dual-core processor, 10.1" Gorilla Glass display and just so happens to be the world's thinnest tablet (for now). The build quality of the device feels top notch, is ultra light, and bears no resemblance to their two Thrive models. It currently runs Honeycomb, but depending on launch, it may see Ice Cream Sandwich.

The last two tablets we saw were on the smaller side. One was a 7.7" OLED tablet made specifically for the media hog. The screen being OLED is much more vibrant for watching movies or viewing photos, but it's also ultra portable at that size for the traveler who needs entertainment. The second was a 5.1" tablet (not a phone) that will likely stay in Japan and not come to the States. It rocked a 21:9 ratio to give you an almost edge-less viewing experience.

Overall we liked what we saw from Toshiba. As with all tablets we seem to see these days, their success depends almost solely on price. Let's hope they come in with something ultra-competitive.

Google Launches Android Design, Teaches Users To Create Visually Stunning Apps For Ice Cream Sandwich And Beyond

Tim — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 14:25:58 +0000

We fully enjoy Google's Ice Cream Sandwich. It looks super sexy and is way more than just minor UI tweaks. For those that realize this, Google has created Android Design, for developers and enthusiasts alike. It gives you the info and tools needed to create visually stunning pieces of work that are optimized for Android 4.0+. A blurb from Google's explanation on the creation of Android Design:

To help you in that mission, we’re introducing Android Design: the place to learn about principles, building blocks, and patterns for creating world-class Android user interfaces. Whether you’re a UI professional or a developer playing that role, these docs show you how to make good design decisions, big and small.

On the site you will see how Google redesigned the OS to make the experience more streamlined and pleasing. So, are you ready to learn all about ICS and then pump out the world's most beautiful app? Then start right here at Android Design. Via: Android Developers Blog

Quick First Look: Lenovo and Intel's Medfield Android Phone

Kellen — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 13:50:12 +0000

The Intel booth marked one of our last stops here at CES 2012, and what better way to start wrapping things up than by looking at one of the future chipsets you will see in Android phones this year. It's called Intel's "Medfield" processor and is a single-core chip clocked at 1.6GHz. Don't let the single-core part throw you though, so far from some of the benchmarks we have seen around the interwebs, this thing looks powerful enough. For demo and display purposes, they slapped it into a Lenovo casing that may or may not ever see the light of day here in the States. The device itself ran Android 2.3 and had an 8MP camera that Intel's chip was able to use to shoot up to 15 pictures within a single second. It also ran some of the more processor intensive games on the market without a hiccup. We listened and watched a live demo of the device for a few minutes, but then quickly grabbed it to see how it performed. What did we think? Tough to have any strong opinions on it since this was really just a dev device, but the design that Lenovo went with was decent. The fact that the camera can take burst shots in a single second is a bonus, along with the fact that this processor is supposed to use far less energy than some of its competitors. Pics after the break, including details on Medfield.

Quick reference guide:

What do you guys think? Excited for Intel to enter the Android game?

Video: Corning Introduces Gorilla Glass 2 At Their 2012 CES Booth

Tim — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 12:58:00 +0000

We have been hearing all sorts of good news about Corning's newest creation: Gorilla Glass 2. Surrounding the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC) are ads and posters promoting Gorilla Glass 2 that is 20% thinner and even stronger than the previous version of Gorilla Glass. Down below we have filmed Corning's full product demo that happened right at their booth. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUIee25JEW4[/youtube]

DROID 4 User Guide Available for Download

Kellen — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 12:04:43 +0000

Check "user guide" off the list of DROID 4 things that we need to see prior to launch. The phone is already official, plus we know that VZW is likely planning to launch it at $249, so we really are just waiting for a launch date at this point. Be sure to check out our hands-on with the device here. Links: User Guide | Info Page

Microsoft And LG Sign Patent Deal, Microsoft Makes Money Off Of 70 Percent of Android Handsets

Eric — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 11:30:47 +0000

Microsoft is boasting their ever expanding blitzkrieg of the Android market today by announcing that they have signed a deal with LG over patents related to their Android phones and Chrome OS devices. LG now joins the ranks of Samsung, Acer and HTC as companies to fall to Microsoft's patent bullying over the Android ecosystem. "This agreement with LG means that more than 70 percent of all Android smartphones sold in the U.S. are now receiving coverage under Microsoft’s patent portfolio," Microsoft said in their press release.

Microsoft unabashedly makes more money off of Android than they do off their own Windows Phone 7 platform. How far will this campaign go to sign every company that has anything to do with Android?

Microsoft and LG Sign Patent Agreement Covering Android and Chrome OS Based Devices REDMOND, Wash. — Jan. 12, 2012— Microsoft Corp. and LG Electronics have signed a patent agreement that provides broad coverage under Microsoft’s patent portfolio for LG’s tablets, mobile phones and other consumer devices running the Android or Chrome OS Platform. The contents of the agreement have not been disclosed. “We are pleased to have built upon our longstanding relationship with LG to reach a mutually beneficial agreement. Together with our 10 previous agreements with Android and Chrome OS device manufacturers, including HTC, Samsung and Acer, this agreement with LG means that more than 70 percent of all Android smartphones sold in the U.S. are now receiving coverage under Microsoft’s patent portfolio,” said Horacio Gutierrez, corporate vice president and deputy general counsel, Intellectual Property Group at Microsoft. “We are proud of the continued success of our program in resolving the IP issues surrounding Android and Chrome OS.” Microsoft’s Commitment to Licensing Intellectual Property The agreement with LG expands upon a pre-existing agreement, and it is another example of the important role IP plays in ensuring a healthy and vibrant IT ecosystem. Since Microsoft launched its IP licensing program in December 2003, the company has entered into more than 1,100 licensing agreements and continues to develop programs that make it possible for customers, partners and competitors to access its IP portfolio. The program was developed to open access to Microsoft’s significant R&D investments and its growing, broad patent and IP portfolio. More information about Microsoft’s licensing programs is available athttp://www.microsoft.com/iplicensing/.

Extended Batteries for All Verizon 4G LTE Phones are 50% Off

Kellen — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 10:45:53 +0000

After reading our reports over the last couple of weeks which suggested that the Galaxy Nexus extended battery was half off, one of our readers called into Verizon to see what the deal was since they were so hard to find online and in stores. The rep informed him that in fact, all extended batteries for 4G LTE smartphones were 50%, not just for the Nexus. After taking quick lap around their online store, he is right. The Bionic, Stratosphere, and even Thunderbolt are all having battery sales. I looked for the Rezound, but it appears to be sold out. Buy. Cheers Chris!

Purple DROID RAZR Headed for January 23 Launch

Kellen — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 09:30:39 +0000

Verizon announced all kinds of new 4G LTE devices at CES this week, but one thing that remained absent from almost all of those announcements were release dates. Scratch the purple DROID RAZR off of that list, as we have just learned that Big Red has targeted January 23 for the "all channel" launch. The only question now is,will we see the RAZR MAXX and DROID 4 on that date as well? The black and white versions of the RAZR at just 16GB are also hitting shelves on the 23. We have some glamour shots of the purple RAZR here. Cheers ___!

CyanogenMod Hits 1,000,000 Users

Kellen — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 09:00:24 +0000

When you combined official CyanogenMod installs with the abundance of installs of kanged ROMs in the wild, the number of users has now eclipsed 1 million. Quite the number, right there. Congrats CM team, can't wait to see the official CM9 when it rolls out.

Via: Google+, CMStats

Verizon: Global Roaming on the DROID 4 and LG Spectrum to be Enabled Later this Year

Kellen — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 08:30:29 +0000

Both the DROID 4 and LG Spectrum that were announced this week at CES have global radios inside, but because of a network issue, they are not active. To this point, none of Verizon's LTE phones have active global roaming, however, that is about to change according to VZW spokesperson Brenda Raney:

"The LTE phones work globally in over 40 countries that currently use CDMA technology…. For the new LTE phones to provide global roaming voice and data in non-CDMA countries, we are working on a few network enhancements so we can provide customers with the best voice and data roaming experience. We anticipate this capability to be available this year, likely the first half of the year."

You can see our first looks at the devices here and here. Via: Phonescoop Cheers Tim!

Verizon Makes 4G LTE a "Hard" Requirement for All Future Smartphones

Kellen — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 07:28:20 +0000

The chances of anyone seeing a newly released smartphone on Verizon going forward without a 4G LTE radio inside are slim. According to Big Red, they have made LTE a "hard" requirement for "all" smartphones, other than push-to-talk devices which will remain 3G-only for the time being. VZW also said that they are on schedule to complete their nationwide LTE infrastructure by the end of 2013. Via: CNET

Eric Schmidt: Android Is All About Differentiation, Not Fragmentation

Kellen — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 16:22:37 +0000

Google's Eric Schmidt stopped by CES and offered another classic comment that is sure to spark up some interesting conversations for the next couple of days. When asked for the billionth time if Android has a fragmentation problem, Schmidt used the word "differentiation" to describe the platform instead:

"Differentiation is positive, fragmentation is negative," Schmidt said during an appearance here at the Consumer Electronics Show. "Differentiation means that you have a choice and the people who are making the phones, they're going to compete on their view of innovation, and they're going to try and convince you that theirs is better than somebody else."

He continued:

"We absolutely allow [manufacturers] to add or change the user interface as long as they don't break the apps. We see this as a plus; [it] gives you far more choices."

The fragmentation argument is beyond played out, so I'll admit that I actually like this take on Android. While most of us are not interested in skins or custom UIs, they do make one phone different from another. And since so many manufacturers produce Android handsets these days, skins are by no means going away any time soon. We just need to see OEMs spend more time putting in polish and adding useful features that would make them somewhat desirable. Your thoughts? Buying Schmidt's "differentiation" argument? Via: PCMag

New Google Search Released for Devices Running Android 2.2 and Above

Kellen — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 15:04:56 +0000

Google released a new version of Search for Android today, bringing devices running Android 2.2 and 2.3 into the world of Ice Cream Sandwich. The UI has been simplified and is also much faster than any versions before it. Here is the full list of changes:

Faster, smoother performance, with an updated and simplified user interface.
Suggestions for your search grouped by type, with web suggestions at the top.
Country-specific suggestions and search results for all countries with Google domains.
Long press to remove history items.

Google also tossed out some tips to try out during your next search:

Tap the arrow to the right of a search suggestion or history item to add it to your search term before searching.
Get suggestions from other apps on your phone - check out searchable items in Search settings.
Long press on home screen to add the Google Search widget, if you don’t have it already, to access search faster.

Market Link Via: Google

How I Fell in Love with a Sony BluRay Player with Google TV [Opinion]

Guest — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 14:15:08 +0000

Over the holiday weekend, I had a small budget to buy a new TV for my bedroom and maybe a cool something else to go with it. (Was thinking PS3?) I was budgeted to spend under $500 and I wasn’t really sure what I wanted but I know I definitely wanted a TV with WIFI and it had to be able to stream Netflix as well as some media off my network. To get the biggest bang for my buck, I was looking at a no frills 37” HDTV with a higher end BluRay player with wifi. As luck would have it, right when I thought I figured it all out, I saw a pile of Sony BluRay Players with Google TV built-in, for $199 each. I dropped the ‘SMART’ player player I had and headed to cash out. All in all, I spent right around $475 for the TV and the unit. Not bad for what has now basically become a smart TV with a WiFi BluRay player. When I got home, I unpacked and hooked up my new toys and it took me about ten minutes to set everything up and get it running. The longest part of the setup was the software update to Honeycomb for the player. It came with a qwerty remote, which I love, and the remote also doubles as a true universal remote. Aside from the full keyboard, the remote also has a touch sensitive cursor to fully navigate the screen like a mouse on a desktop. My only complaint with the remote is a lack of backlight. As far as the BluRay player goes, it runs great and I will leave it at that. It is a Sony, it is BluRay (their invention), it plays great. End of review for the BluRay portion. The Google TV portion of the player literally brings the term “smart-tv” to life. Now we all know that Samsung has a line of “SMART” TVs, and every other company out there has some “wifi enabled” options built in them, but those features are not even in the same realm as Google TV. Comparing those to Google TV is like comparing a Palm Treo to a Galaxy Nexus. (Nice name drop huh?) That may sound extreme, but it doesn’t take long to realize this is the truth. In my configuration, adding Google TV to a standard HDTV was literally like implanting a brain into the TV. In some aspects, it reminds me of the old PC days whereas the TV has become just a monitor again. Following a spent with this device hooked up in my bedroom, it only seemed fitting that I purchase another unit for our main entertainment center before the sale ended, which I did. My plasma in the living room was quite the opposite of the TV in my bedroom and I purchased it only 6 months ago. Unfortunately I paid extra to have a “wifi enabled” tv with apps on board and I only say unfortunate, because those apps and features will never be used again now that Android has taken a firm position in my living room. Unlike video game systems, you don’t just go back to older versions of windows on you PC to re-live the nostalgia. For me, I won’t be going back to the pre-installed junk on my plasma just for fun. It is with a sad bit irony that I can state, my 6 month old smart tv has become obsolete due to a product produced well over a year old. Figure that one out. So what is it that is so great about Google TV? Where is all the magic in this little box? How did I fall in love with it? Google TV is so much more than just adding a browser to a TV with some hokey apps, much more. I am reminded of back in the day when they first added the interactive guide to cable? For you Gen Y and whatever, younger people since then, we used to have to purchase a TV guide or go to a special channel to see what was upcoming on cable back in the day, there was no interactive guide. Before you ask why we didn’t just use the web, it was because we couldn’t constantly tie up the phone line just to check AOL and Netscape, but let’s keep this story on track. The guide used to just scroll endlessly with an infomercial in the upper corner selling a 50 pack of hunting knives, or whatever, while you waited for your favorite channels to scroll by. If you missed your channel, you had to sit through all 700 channels again or you could just start surfing. Well, at some point, in the late 90s I think, our cable boxes got smarter and they added an interactive guide to them. (This time also marked the death of the little black boxes when everything went digital.) The guide was a huge step forward and while may not seem like a revolutionary thing now, take yours away and you will see how handicapped our cable boxes used to be. It is in this same fashion that Google is going to make its way into our living rooms. Google TV adds a diverse amount of function to everything I have in my entertainment center and it seems very natural in its place with my other components. When using the device, it is almost like adding a perfect functioning skin onto your basic TV. I have come to realize that this is what Blur, Whiz, and Sense are all trying to do. I said trying. keep up with me.) Google TV changes things from just letting me watch my TV, to actually using my TV. From the customizable wallpaper and app drawer, all the way down to the way it communicates with my cable box, receiver, TV, and home server, the integration is seamless. It also happens to be user friendly for all levels. Using a media player connected to my TV that has every codec known to man, all the way to a search engine that finds what I want to watch by searching live TV, future TV, Netflix, Amazon Video, YouTube, the Web, and even Google Rentals, there is never an excuse for not being able to find my favorite shows. For something that just was opened to the market a few months ago, there is enough to keep you entertained and informed for now and I find myself not spending as much time with the browser as I initially thought I would. I have a tablet and laptop better suited for surfing the net and when it comes time to share on the big-screen, the Chrome to TV plug-in will really shine. In addition to the Chrome to TV plug-in, all android devices have various remote apps and several other items that make their use even more fun in the experience of it all. In the short weeks I have owned my Google TV, I have not only grown to use it constantly, I truly have come to love it. It reminds me of the Christmas season just two years ago when my Verizon upgrade date was up on my Palm Treo and I had been following a small movement for a new line of smart-phones running off a new operating system made by Google. The search engine guys?!? I took the plunge and bought myself a Motorola Droid because the commercials and the web compelled me so much. (I even ponied up and got my wife an Eris. ha! Old joke if you are an OG D1 guy.) I really didn’t know what to expect from my Droid but I wanted to be "wowwed." It was less than 24 hours later that I was officially at that state. I then began an endless pursuit to find out what I could do with this device and many nights were spent poking into forums and through youtube videos rooting, romming, and bricking my phone over and over again. (God I loved SBF.) Those old phone days are long gone but my new Google TV is giving me this same type of experience all over again. Just like in the beginning, I am still spending countless hours tinkering, reading and tweaking to get that perfect experience. With a broader adoption of Google TV on the horizon, I can’t wait to see what unfolds. Almost forgot to mention, I still haven’t bought a BluRay disk yet, not that anyone in my house has noticed.

This was a guest post written by DL reader Pakman2k.

Contest: 10 Premium Redeem Codes for Koush's Tether App Up For Grabs

Kellen — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 13:25:07 +0000

Koush's Tethering app is all the rage these days in Android. It has given those that aren't interested in rooting, an opportunity to tether from their phone to a computer with little hassle. Tato has actually given it some good run here at CES and would definitely recommend it. To celebrate its official release this week, Koush handed us 10 premium redeem codes to get a set of DL readers up and taking full advantage of their data packages. After all, you do pay for it, so why not use it however you want, right? That's probably a conversation for another day. :) So here is the deal. To enter to win, all you have to do is tell us how much data you consume on average each month and if you use any sort of tethering service on a regular basis. Simple enough? Later this evening when we leave the show floor, we will pick the 10 winners.

Lucky Motorola RAZR Owner Notices That His Bootloader is Unlocked, Devs Get to Work on It (Updated)

Kellen — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 12:57:32 +0000

A fortunate owner of a Motorola RAZR (not the the DROID version) jumped into fastboot to find that his device's bootloader was showing as being "unlocked." He claims that he has not unlocked the phone himself and would also not offer many other details as to how his phone got this way. From what we have read, he has already sent off the bootloader to devs to see if it can be used to unlock other devices. By no means does this mean that we will all have unlocked bootloaders on the U.S. DROID RAZR, however, it is at least worth looking into. We will likely know more within the next few days. Try not to get your hopes up too high just yet, but feel free to cross a couple of fingers and that something good can come out of this. Update: It looks like devs have already done quite a bit of work on this and came up empty. You can read more here. (Via @LeviSnuts) Via: XDA Cheers Keith!

ASTRO File Manager Launches Cloud Storage Public Beta

Tim — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 10:22:42 +0000

Our good friends over at ASTRO launched a public beta for their newest service, cloud storage. It allows you to backup, access and download your files from any device you might own. To begin, the amount of storage you have is limited, but they told us that this is just for initial launch to test the waters. ASTRO has been one of the apps that we have used since the beginning, all the way back to the "OG" days, so be sure to check out their newest services. We spoke with their CEO earlier and here's what he had to say about the cloud:

“ASTRO Backup is simply the easiest way for any Android user to store their mobile content to the cloud. There are a lot of services for backing up and syncing to the cloud. However, we are focused solely on users of Android devices and since our 25 million users are already using ASTRO to organize and manage their files, we are giving them the easiest way to store them in the cloud without having to open or connect to other applications."

Sign up for the public beta here.

Motorola Plans to Release Fewer Phones This Year, the World Says "Thank You"

Kellen — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 09:33:11 +0000

At a round table discussion with reporters at CES yesterday, Motorola CEO Sanjay Jha mentioned that his company plans to release fewer devices this year than it did in 2011. Their focus will be on "marketing dollars" and trying to make more devices "stick." All I have to say to that is, "Thank you!" While we love to cover a constant flow of devices as media, we also realize that Moto's flooding of the market was a little much, this year. Jha echoed that thought, saying "A lot of products that are roughly the same doesn’t drive the market to a new place." This is coming from the company that released the DROID 3, Bionic, RAZR (in 3 colors over 3 months), RAZR MAXX, DROID 4 and two XYBOARD tablets over a 6 month period. In 2012, we know that we will see phones from Moto with Intel's Atom processor, but other than that, most of their roadmap is a mystery. One thing that will be interesting to watch, is how quickly they can close their merger with Google and how that affects their product line. Via: AllThingsD

LG Spectrum First Look and Hands-on

Kellen — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 08:54:30 +0000

Before day 2 (well, day 1 of the open show floor) ended, we had a chance to sneak into the Verizon booth and grab a quick hands-on with LG's latest device, the Spectrum. This phone is headed to store shelves on January 19 for $199, has a dual-core 1.5GHz processor, 8MP camera, LTE connectivity, and most notably, a 4.5" True HD IPS display. The Spectrum is a great effort at a comfortable price from LG, a company that had what we would consider a rough 2011 in the Android game here in the U.S. This could be the device that helps them turn things around. Gallery:

Video:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RklgVgDZ6Qo[/youtube]

New Verizon MAP Released: DROID 4 Priced at $249

Kellen — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 18:37:03 +0000

The newest Verizon MAP (minimum advertised list) is out and it includes all of the newest CES announced devices. The RAZR MAXX, LG Spectrum and DROID 4 all on there. Thanks to press releases, we had already seen pricing info for the MAXX and Spectrum, but nothing so far on the D4. If this MAP list is correct (and they almost always are), then it should be available at launch for $249 on new 2-year contract. It's not quite the semi-bargain price of the Spectrum, but it's better than $299. We are still without a release date. Cheers ___!

Fujitsu Shows Off the World's First Tegra 3 Quad-core Phone, Behind a Glass Case

Kellen — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 18:24:50 +0000

Last night at PepCom's Digital Experience, we swung by the Fujitsu booth since there were rumors of them having some sort of a quad-core Tegra 3 phone in Vegas. While they didn't have it with them, they said to stop by their CES booth today because it would be on display. They weren't lying, you are looking at it above. Keep in mind that this is a prototype and may not be anything close to the final product. It was hooked up via HDMI to a TV though, running Riptide for Tato to ball out on. Overall, it ran incredibly well, we just wish we could have actually touched it. Thankfully, they did have a life-sized flyer of specs for it. According to Fujitsu, this phone will sport a 4.6" "HD-quality" liquid crystal screen, 13MP camera, Tegra 3 quad-core processor clocked at 1.2GHz, and is "LTE-compatible." Their plan is to show off a much more finished product at MWC next month. Also, from what we heard around CES this afternoon, there may be a handful of quad-core devices to drool over come February 27. While CES so far has been sort of uneventful for the most part compared to last year, February should be nutty. More pics below.

Motorola and Intel Announce Multi-Year Partnership to Produce Android Mobile Devices

Kellen — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 17:57:52 +0000

GooMotel, anyone? Motorola and Intel announced this evening at CES that they have agreed to a multi-year partnership that will pair Moto's use of Android with Intel's Atom processors. The goal is to "collaborate across hardware, software and services to deliver complete solutions and disruptive new user experiences that offer long battery life, increased computing performance, advanced imaging and video capabilities, and seamless wireless connections." They fully expect products to ship some time this year, likely in the second half.

Intel and Motorola Mobility Strike Multi-Year Strategic Mobile Partnership

Motorola Mobility to Begin Shipping Intel®-Based Smartphone in 2H 2012
LAS VEGAS - Jan 10, 2012 - INTERNATIONAL CONSUMER ELECTRONICS SHOW - Intel Corporation and Motorola Mobility, Inc. (NYSE: MMI) announced that the two companies were entering into a multi-year, multi-device strategic relationship that includes smartphones which Motorola will begin shipping later this year using Intel® Atom™ processors and the Android™ platform. The collaboration, which also covers tablets, will combine Intel's leadership in silicon processor technology and computing innovation with Motorola's mobile device design expertise to deliver products that have the high performance, long battery life and convenience necessary for increasingly mobile lifestyles. "When great silicon and software technology meets great mobile and design innovation, amazing things can happen," said Intel President and CEO Paul Otellini. "Our long-term relationship with Motorola Mobility will help accelerate Intel® architecture into new mobile market segments. We expect the combination of our companies to break new ground and bring the very best of computing capabilities to smartphones and tablets, which in turn will help to create powerful new experiences that connect and enrich people's lives wherever they may be." "We are delighted to be partnering with Intel to deliver smartphones and tablets based on Intel's Atom processor to consumers and businesses," said Sanjay Jha, Chairman and CEO, Motorola Mobility. "Though there are 5 billion mobile subscribers in the world, less than 800 million are using a smartphone today. With Android as the leading smartphone OS globally and advancements in computing technology we see tremendous opportunity for the converged devices market." Smartphones and tablets are quickly becoming an indispensible part of people's daily lives -- making them constant companions. The strategic relationship between Intel and Motorola Mobility will expand opportunity for continued innovation in these areas as they work closely to leverage Intel's low power system-on-chip (SoC) roadmap for Motorola Mobility's converged mobile device portfolio. The companies will collaborate across hardware, software and services to deliver complete solutions and disruptive new user experiences that offer long battery life, increased computing performance, advanced imaging and video capabilities, and seamless wireless connections.
About Motorola Mobility Motorola Mobility, Inc. (NYSE:MMI) fuses innovative technology with human insights to create experiences that simplify, connect and enrich people's lives. Our portfolio includes converged mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets; wireless accessories; end-to-end video and data delivery; and management solutions, including set-tops and data-access devices. For more information, visit motorola.com/mobility.

DROID 2 Global 4.5.608 Full SBF Released

Kellen — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 16:45:14 +0000

The 4.5.608 SBF for the DROID 2 Global has been released for those of you that may need a safety blanket of sorts. Should you do something horrible to your phone while tinkering, this file if flashed in RSD Lite can save you. Get it now. Download: VRZ_A956_4.5.608_1FF_01.sbf.zip Via: Droid Knows

Snapseed and ShadowGun:DeadZone Both Headed to Android Devices in Early 2012

Tim — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 16:15:14 +0000

Yesterday at NVIDIA's press event we got a sneak peak at a couple of apps that are sure to get Android users excited. If you happen to own an i*ad, then it is quite possible that you have heard of Snapseed. It has recently won the "iPad App of the Year" award, but is now coming to Android. The Snapseed application allows users to turn any ordinary photo into a work of art. With its amazing filters and effects software, it is no wonder why it won app of the year. Another announcement that came from yesterday, is that MadFinger is working on a multiplayer edition of ShadowGun. It's called ShadowGun: DeadZone and it will keep folks busy for a long time with the ability to play with others just as you would any other online multiplayer shooter. And from what we saw yesterday, they were playing with Xbox controllers. Oh boy.

Both applications will be making their way to Android in early 2012, so keep your eyes open.

Verizon's Double Data Promo Ends January 15

Kellen — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 15:45:51 +0000

On November 8, Verizon kicked off a new "double data" promo with a semi-open ended run time. The promo allowed customers to sign up for tiered data plans and receive double the amount of data without a price hike. The 2GB, 5GB and 10GB plans were now 4GB, 10GB, and 20GB respectively, but still at $30, $50 and $80. For anyone that wasn't able to lock into unlimited data, this is something you should try and jump on as a January 15 end date popped up on Verizon's site this morning. Cheers Josh!

Video: Hands-on with the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 LTE

Tim — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 15:15:21 +0000

Along with a few new smartphones, Verizon is going to launch a new 4G LTE enabled tablet from Samsung, called the Galaxy Tab 7.7. This tablet has an amazing Super AMOLED Plus display, 1.4GHz dual-core processor, and a super-thin sexy body. It's the ultimate one hand tab. Video down below. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_VenMGR9ks[/youtube]

Video: Hands-on With Motorola's Two HD RAZR-esque Devices for China, Talk About Beautiful Screens

Kellen — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 14:36:36 +0000

As we were wrapping up our Motorola booth session this afternoon, we stumbled onto two devices that looked extra special, but at the same time, sort of unfamiliar. Sure enough, they were the MT917 and the XT928, the two HD RAZR-esque devices that Moto released to China back in November. We paid attention to these devices for one simple reason - that they both rock upgraded specs (4.5" HD 720p screens, Dolby Digital sound, 13MP cameras, etc.) over the RAZR which was released around the same time here in the States. Why release these in China if they are ready for prime time, yet leave us with a phone that is essentially a step below? We will likely never know that answer. What we do have though, is video footage of them both in action. The specs - including processor - pretty much remain the same as the RAZR, but again, the screens are the stars. Check out these macro shots before diving into the hands-on action.

(click to enlarge)

Beautiful, right?

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L73wQKjefc8[/youtube]

Video: DROID RAZR MAXX Hands-on at CES

Tim — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 14:11:57 +0000

After taking a tour of the DROID 4 while stopping by the Motorola booth here at CES today, we had to get our hands-on time with their newest creation, the DROID RAZR MAXX. You won't see too many differences between the MAXX and the previous DROID RAZR, but you will see a decent change in thickness of the device and battery life. The MAXX contains a huge 3300 mAh battery which is capable of 21 hours of talk time and two days of music streaming. The video action is down below - you can see our quick photo gallery from last night right here. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exzgKnBOHsQ[/youtube]

Video: DROID 4 Hands-on at CES 2012

Kellen — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 13:57:00 +0000

We just finished up a solid 3 hour session at some of the various booths here at CES and have a barrage of videos to show off. The first up is the DROID 4, also known as the world's thinnest 4G LTE slider. We know that many of you have been waiting patiently for a slideout device like this, so hopefully this video helps you decide if it is indeed for you. This is our second time with it in hand and will admit that it feels nice. One of the drawbacks to most devices with a physical keyboard is the weight and thickness, but this phone is light and thin. We aren't a fan of the screen, as Moto appears to have gone back to the same PenTile matrix that they used in the Bionic and DROID3. Other than that though, it comes off as another solid release from Big Red and Motorola.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SuxwSFYWGE[/youtube]

Google Partners With Las Vegas Convention Center to Provide Indoor CES Maps

Kellen — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 12:10:14 +0000

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPR1ZGSXLOs[/youtube]

Attending CES? Be sure to check out Google Maps and their indoor maps feature, because it now includes the Las Vegas Convention Center for CES along with a variety of hotels. Basically what I'm suggesting, is that you ditch the 10MB CES app that updates on the daily, and go with GMaps instead. Via: Google

Tuesday Poll: What Was Your Favorite Announcement From Yesterday's Press Events?

Tim — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 11:30:23 +0000

It's only been two days here in Vegas at CES, but we already have some really exciting news from a wide variety of manufacturers and carriers. Motorola and Verizon have teamed up again to bring us the new RAZR MAXX and the DROID 4. Those of you who like smaller tablets might be more pumped about the 4G LTE powered Galaxy Tab 7.7 from Samsung or how about Asus bringing an Ice Cream Sandwich tablet to the market for $249? So far, it has been a great year and we are just getting started. CES officially starts today. [poll id="122"]

Verizon Partnering With The Daily To Release Android Application On Select Devices

Eric — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 10:54:18 +0000

The news application that has been quite the hit on the iPad has now been announced as coming to the Android world thanks to Verizon today. The two companies have signed up to bring the subscription based application to the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 first. The Verizon version of the tablet will have it pre-loaded and the Galaxy Tab 7.7 that was announced yesterday will get the application at a later date, no word on any other devices.

You get a week of the Daily free on Verizon and after that you can sign up for a monthly or yearly subscription, which will cost you $3.99 and $39.99 respectively. This is a great option for any newshead out there, the Daily is a great outlet. Will anyone take advantage of this if it comes to other devices like the XOOM or WiFi Galaxy Tab 10.1?

Motorola: Another XOOM LTE "Small Project" In The Works

Eric — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 10:45:54 +0000

Motorola is out and about on the week of CES contacting customers who have XOOMs, looking for people to take part in another one of their infamous soak tests. Two interesting things about this one - "We can't positively confirm that the project will go forward" and Moto says that the people participating, "must have had their Xooms upgraded to LTE to take part." The email mentions it is a small project, so don't expect Ice Cream Sandwich.

Hi. Thanks for joining the Motorola Feedback Network. We may have a small project for owners of Motorola Xooms on Verizon. Participants must have had their Xooms upgraded to LTE to take part. At this point, we can't positively confirm that the project will go forward, but if it does, the timing will be fast and we thought it best to prepare a group to provide feedback. So, if you can live with some uncertainty, please take a moment to sign up here. Thats all the information I have to share at this time. If you sign up and meet the conditions of the project -- and it actually goes forward -- more will be provided. Regards, - Matt Motorola Owners' Forums Motorola Feedback Network

Let us know if you get the update and notice any changes. Cheers C and H!

Quick First Look: Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 with 4G LTE

Kellen — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 09:55:59 +0000

Rounding out our time at PepCom's Digital Experience from last night, we have the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 with LTE that is headed to Verizon. With its beautiful Super AMOLED Plus display, 1.4GHz dual-core processor, ultra thin body, and perfect one-handed size (for some), this might be Big Red's best tablet. We would have liked to see a beefier camera in the back (only 3MP), but that's really our only complaint. Well, that and the fact that it is still running Honeycomb. No exact release date has been given. We will see what else we can find out when we get more time with the device this afternoon at VZW's booth. And here's to hoping we don't see it for $499 on-contract, especially with Asus and NVIDIA getting ready to drop a Tegra 3 device of similar size for $249. Enjoy the pics!

Quick First Look: DROID RAZR MAXX With Its 3300mAh Battery and the Purple RAZR

Kellen — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 09:10:22 +0000

Looking almost identical to the original DROID RAZR, we have in front of us the DROID RAZR MAXX. At first glance, you probably would think that this is the same exact phone, only Motorola thickened it up a tad by somehow upping the battery from 1780mAh to 3300mAh. Yep, that's a ton of battery juice. The rest of the specs all remain the same when you compare it to the regular RAZR, but this phone - according to Motorola reps - will get you through 2.5 days of streaming music, 21+ hours of talk time, and even more when sitting idle. This is clearly the Android phone for the daily grinder that can't seem to find the time to plug in their device every few hours. First impressions? Truthfully, I'm a little mad that this wasn't released originally instead of the DROID RAZR. At 8.99mm thick, it is still incredibly thin and would have given the Nexus a real run for top dog status knowing that it had such a massive battery inside. It feels great in hand with that added thickness over the regular RAZR, but it is definitely not "thick." For more shots, including some of it compared to the Nexus, hit up the break. Purple RAZR also below.

_______________________________________

So, there is your purple DROID RAZR. There are absolutely no differences from this to the white or regular RAZR other than color. Well, that's not 100% accurate. This phone will land at $199 on 2-year contract, as Verizon is cutting out the SD cards on these three non-MAXX versions going forward. Once the purple version and RAZR MAXX are released, all regular RAZRs will drop to $199, meaning they only have onboard storage. Now, you can toss in your own SD card if you like, but at purchase, it will not come with one. The RAZR MAXX then, will drop in at $299.

Order The Galaxy Nexus HDMI Dock Through The MyVerizon App?

Tim — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 08:26:26 +0000

If you really need to try and get your hands on the HDMI docking station for the Galaxy Nexus which we just showed off earlier, you can try and place an order through the MyVerizon app. Thanks to a reader's tip, if you scroll through the available accessories on Verizon's mobile site through the MyVerizon app, you will be able to add the dock to your cart and then purchase it. We have already received email confirmation, but we have a feeling it will be cancelled by Big Red. For a while now, we have seen the dock on Verizon's site, listed as Out Of Stock. Verizon's mobile site may not reflect this. So if you happen to order the dock which goes for $60, then cross your fingers that you will receive tracking info as well. If not, Verizon will cancel the order and we are back to square one. Note: Also, feel free to try this link which will take you straight to the mobile site. Cheers Stillasteelerfan!

Quick First Look: DROID 4 by Motorola

Kellen — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 07:56:30 +0000

The DROID 4 is finally official on Verizon. And after stopping by Motorola's booth last night at PepCom's Digital Experience, we had a chance to play with this 4G LTE dual-core wonder. First impressions? It is a lot lighter than I expected it to be. Many of these sliders tend to carry that "tank" tag, but not the D4. It was light, the slideout mechanism felt solid, the keyboard with its side lit keys was very nice, and the overall size in hand was where it should be. The screen though, tough to come to a verdict on just yet. As far as we know, this is not the Super AMOLED Advanced that the RAZR carries and could just be the qHD PenTile matrix display that we saw in the Bionic and DROID 3. We will get confirmation on that when we sit down for some extra quality time, later today. For now though, enjoy the pretty pictures. We will have video and detail hands-on time later today.

Quick First Look: Galaxy Nexus Portrait HDMI Docking Station

Kellen — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 07:21:52 +0000

If there is one thing about the Galaxy Nexus that has been made clear in our inbox, it is the need of many of you to have some real accessories, one of those being the HDMI portrait docking station. Thanks to PepCom's Digital Experience event last night at CES, we had a chance to play with one. The Samsung reps we spoke with were not 100% clear on details for launch, so when we stop by their official booth in the next couple of days, we should have some better answers. Really all they could tell us is that lots of people wanted photos of it. (Not surprising, there.) As far as our impressions go, I'll just say that it's exactly as you would expect it to be. It has a full HDMI port on the side, micro USB on the back for charging, and matches up perfectly in style to the G-Nex. This docking station would make anyone's desk look pretty, if anyone could actually purchase one, of course. *Note - By the way, that is Tim's Nexus with the extended battery in and it "fit like a glove." Set of pictures after the break.

Asus Transformer Prime Ice Cream Sandwich Update Rolling Out Now

Kellen — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 19:28:00 +0000

The Asus Transformer Prime update to Ice Cream Sandwich is live now. If you own the device, check for it! Cheers Bill!

Asus and NVIDIA Unveil Mini Quad-core Tegra 3 Tablet with Ice Cream Sandwich for $249

Kellen — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 17:37:00 +0000

While the Ice Cream Sandwich update news for the Transformer Prime that came out of the NVIDIA presser was big, the other unveiling that took place on stage might mean even more in the grand scheme of things. With Asus in the building, NVIDIA CEO Jen-Hsun Huang announced a new Tegra 3 (quad-core) powered mini tablet that runs Android 4.0. It lacked a name and availability, but the price is expected to be $249 at launch. Think about that for a second. The Kindle Fire can be had for $199, but it doesn't have a quad-core processor, runs skinned Android, and can't take a picture of anything. This mini tablet (looked to be about a 7" screen) runs ICS, has cameras, and will crush almost any other device on the planet in performance thanks to its Tegra 3. We are hoping to find out more when we meet 1-on-1 with NVIDIA later this week, but for now, we'll all just have to sit back and imagine our lives with this personal beast.

NVIDIA: Ice Cream Sandwich Will Be Available for the Transformer Prime Tonight

Kellen — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 17:29:56 +0000

In case you missed our live blog of NVIDIA's CES event, we wanted to make sure that all of the Transformer Prime owners in the building heard the special announcement that came out of it. NVIDIA CEO Jen-Hsun Huang said that thanks to the countless hours put in by the NVIDIA and Asus teams leading up to CES, that Ice Cream Sandwich (Android 4.0) would be made available tonight. So if you own a Prime, you might want to start checking in your system settings for the push. If it doesn't hit your device tonight, you can bet that the dev community will pull it and try to make it available for a manual install.

DROID 4 Already Up on DroidDoes.com

Kellen — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 17:23:01 +0000

If you cannot wait for us to get our hands on the DROID 4 tomorrow morning and need a fix now, you should head over to droiddoes.com and take a quick virtual tour of it. Most of this stuff we posted up weeks ago, but it's nice to see the site up and live for everyone to play with. Via: DroidDoes Cheers Tom!

Live - NVIDIA CES 2012 Press Event

Kellen — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 15:50:00 +0000

NVIDIA is the next stop on our CES press event world tour and we are expecting big things. We all know that they have Tegra 3 quad-core chips in tablets, but rumors floating around the Venetian grounds suggest that we may just see the first quad-core phone. NVIDIA's event from last year was pretty memorable with the introduction of the Tegra 2 - this one could be even bigger. Live blog below!

Live - Samsung CES 2012 Press Event

Kellen — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 13:40:43 +0000

We are well into CES 2012 press day, but it's about to get spicy starting at 2PM. Samsung is going to take the stage to unveil what they have in store for the next year. They usually put on one of the better shows. We are fully expecting to see the Galaxy Tab 7.7 with LTE on display after receiving a press release for it earlier. Other than that, it's anyone's guess, although we have a pretty good idea with so many of their products making their way into the public within the last few hours. We could see more of their AT&T lineup that includes the Galaxy Note and the new HD Skyrocket. But just a reminder, this is a "Samsung" event, not just a mobile event, so expect TVs and appliances mixed in as well. The Galaxy SIII is not going to happen here. This should be good, hang with us.

Samsung and Verizon Introduce the Galaxy Tab 7.7 with 4G LTE

Kellen — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 12:40:46 +0000

Verizon and Samsung today announced another device that we first reported on a few weeks back, the Galaxy Tab 7.7 with 4G LTE. It rocks a 1.4GHz dual-core processor, 7.7" Super AMOLED Plus display, is extremely thin (thinnest LTE tablet), has a 3MP rear camera, 2MP in the front, 16GB of on-board storage, an SD card slot for extra storage, and weighs roughly 340 grams. The 7.7 is running Android 3.2 with TouchWiz - no word was given on an Ice Cream Sandwich update, but we will assume that it will eventually get it. The Galaxy Tab 7.7 will be available in the coming weeks. Both Verizon and Samsung will have it on display in their booths, so you can bet that we will get some hands on time with it. Pics and press release below.

SAMSUNG MOBILE AND VERIZON WIRELESS UNVEIL 4G LTE-ENABLED SAMSUNG GALAXY TAB™ 7.7 AT 2012 CES

World's Thinnest 4G LTE Tablet and First Tablet in the United States to Feature Super AMOLED™ Plus Display
LAS VEGAS and BASKING RIDGE, N.J. – From the 2012 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES), Samsung Telecommunications America (Samsung Mobile), today announced that the Samsung Galaxy Tab™ 7.7 will be available on the Verizon Wireless 4G LTE Mobile Broadband network in the coming weeks. Verizon Wireless leads the way in 4G with the fastest and most reliable 4G network in the United States, covering more than 200 million people in 190 markets. The Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 will be on display at CES 2012 in Verizon Wireless' booth (Las Vegas Convention Center, South Hall, Booth #30259) and in the Samsung booth (Las Vegas Convention Center, Central Hall, Booth #12004). The Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 boasts a brilliant Super AMOLED™ Plus touchscreen display, allowing customers to watch movies, view pictures and play games that come to life in high-definition 720p (1280x800) resolution. The Galaxy Tab 7.7 features a 1.4 GHz dual-core processor and HTML 5 Web browser to quickly access the Web, stream music and more at blazing speeds using the Verizon Wireless 4G LTE network. The Galaxy Tab 7.7 measures just 7.9 millimeters thin (less than half an inch) and weighs only 340 grams (roughly 12 oz), making this tablet one of the most portable premium and stylish tablets available. The Galaxy Tab 7.7 features Peel Smart Remote that allows customers to find and watch their favorite TV shows and discover new shows based on their preferences through built-in infrared blaster. Customers can also control their home entertainment system using Peel Smart Remote regardless of manufacturer with the Tab 7.7, all with the tap of a finger. Additionally, the Galaxy Tab 7.7 will launch as a SAFE™ certified device. The SAFE certification signifies that the Tab 7.7 is equipped with an exclusive suite of security features that deliver enterprise-friendly capabilities to help safeguard sensitive data and communications, including Mobile Device Management (MDM), on-device Encryption, Virtual Private Network (VPN) and corporate email, calendar and contacts. Additional features:

Samsung TouchWiz™ - Designed with Live Panels for customizing the home screen with digital pictures, favorite Web sites and social network feeds. In addition, the TouchWiz UX includes a Mini Apps tray of commonly used features, such as task manager, calendar and music player which can be launched while other apps are already in use. The clipboard feature allows customers to copy and paste texts and images.

Mobile Hotspot capability – Share your 4G LTE connection with up to 10 Wi-Fi enabled devices or 3G connection with up to 5 Wi-Fi enabled devices

Android™ 3.2, Honeycomb – Supports Google™ Mobile Services including Gmail™, YouTube™, Google Talk™, Google Search™, Google Maps™, and access to Google Books™, movie rentals, and more than 400,000 apps on Android Market™

Samsung Apps – Samsung Apps is a recommendation engine that aggregates over 50,000 apps from the Android Market that are optimized for Honeycomb. Samsung Apps also adds a social element by allowing consumers to share the apps they like with friends on Facebook®.

Samsung Media Hub – Offering a vast lineup of critically acclaimed films and TV programs for rent or purchase (TV content can only be purchased)

Samsung Social Hub – Built around messaging, which allows customers to send and receive information, whether it is email (Exchange, POP3/IMAP), social network updates (Twitter™, Facebook and LinkedIn®)

3-megapixel rear-facing camera with LED flash and full 720p recording and 1080p playback (1080p playback through HDMI dock or adapter)

Front-facing 2-megapixel camera for video chat

QuickOffice® Pro HD - Get the most powerful office productivity suite for Android Honeycomb tablets with advanced Microsoft® Office editing, SmartTouch™ technology and Connected File Manager with integrated remote storage access

Wi-Fi Direct – Customers can connect to their Wi-Fi-enabled portable devices and seamlessly transfer music, videos and other data over an adhoc Wi-Fi connection

AllShare™ App – Enables inter-device connectivity through Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA), so customers can send multimedia content wirelessly to other DLNA-enabled devices such as TVs and laptops

Wi-Fi Connectivity (802.11 a/b/g/n)

16 GB on board storage (actual formatted capacity is less)

Support for up to 32 GB microSD™ card

Accessories:

Keyboard Dock – Full-size dock with tablet hotkeys that activate key features of the Galaxy Tab 7.7 including Internet, email and music/video controls; charging and data sync capabilities (cables not included); 3.5mm stereo audio output for connection to external speakers (cable not included)

Multimedia Dock – Portrait viewing format for desktop display; fitted cradle and weighted base to keep your Galaxy Tab in place; built-in HDMI out port; 3.5mm stereo audio output for connection to external speakers (cable not included) and charging capabilities

USB/SD Adapter Connection Kit – 30-pin to SD adapter for sharing multimedia files with your Tab via an SD or microSD device. USB adapter allows customers to connect an array of USB capable devices such as a mouse, keyboard, thumb drive, camera, Samsung printers, and more

HDTV Adapter – Powered HDMI cable for video and audio streaming from your Tab to a compatible HDTV; support for HD video up to 1080p; simultaneous charging while streaming

Book Cover Case – Ultra-slim fit with full access to all buttons and ports. Stands the tablet in landscape for optimal media viewing or as a keyboard stand for typing

About Verizon Wireless Verizon Wireless operates the nation’s largest 4G LTE network and largest, most reliable 3G network. The company serves 107.7 million total wireless connections, including 90.7 million retail customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with nearly 83,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE, NASDAQ: VZ) and Vodafone (LSE, NASDAQ: VOD). For more information, visit www.verizonwireless.com. To preview and request broadcast-quality video footage and high-resolution stills of Verizon Wireless operations, log on to the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia. About Samsung Telecommunications America Samsung Telecommunications America, LLC, a Dallas-based subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., researches, develops and markets wireless handsets and telecommunications products throughout North America. For more information, please visit www.samsungwireless.com.

Verizon and Motorola Announce the DROID RAZR MAXX and the Purple RAZR

Kellen — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 11:51:47 +0000

Not to be out done by the impressive lineup that AT&T just got done announcing here at CES, Verizon has popped off with two new DROID phones to add to their collection (well three technically if you count the DROID 4). The new DROID RAZR MAXX which is a slightly thicker RAZR, but with a beefed up battery and then a purple version of the original DROID RAZR are both on their way. The MAXX can reportedly last up to 21 hours on a single charge with steady use, however, Verizon wasn't specific as to how big the battery is inside. And other than it now being 8.99mm thick (regular RAZR is 7.1mm), the specs remain the same. Motorola must have heard the cries of those of you who weren't excited about the original RAZR's non-removable battery. Well, this one likely won't be removable either, but it should last you a bit longer. The other phone is a purple RAZR. Yep, purple. Nothing else has changed. Both phones will be available in the "coming weeks." The RAZR MAXX will be priced at $299 on contract with the purple RAZR landing at $199. That must mean that the regular white and black RAZRs will also drop to $199? Images and press release below.

Verizon Wireless And Motorola Announce New Additions To DROID Family At CES 2012

New DROIDS and New Colors – Verizon Wireless and Motorola Have Something for Everyone
LAS VEGAS, NV and BASKING RIDGE, NJ — From the 2012 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES), Verizon Wireless and Motorola Mobility, Inc. (NYSE: MMI) today announced an expansion of the DROID RAZR™ family. In coming weeks, customers will see the DROID RAZR™ by Motorola in Purple and the DROID RAZR™ MAXX™ by Motorola. Both new DROIDs are powered by America’s fastest, most reliable 4G network and build upon the successful DROID RAZR by Motorola. DROID RAZR – Thin, Powerful and now in Purple DROID RAZR in Purple will debut in the coming weeks with 16 GB on-board memory and gives customers a third stylish option from which to choose. Regardless of color – classic Black, pristine White or Purple, the DROID RAZR is equipped with the same great features that let customers search the Web or download more than 300,000 Android Market™ apps at breakneck speeds on the Verizon Wireless 4G LTE network. The DROID RAZR in Purple will be $199.99 with a new two-year customer agreement. Taking DROID RAZR to the MAXX The DROID RAZR MAXX by Motorola will join the DROID family for customers who want all the great features of the DROID RAZR, but need a smartphone that overachieves. DROID RAZR MAXX is designed for customers who spend their days and nights multi-tasking. This smartphone is a marathon runner with enough endurance to let customers talk on the phone for more than 21 hours straight on a single charge. It’s the longest-lasting smartphone on the block, and at just 8.99 mm, the device is still impossibly thin. The DROID RAZR MAXX comes equipped with 32 GB of total memory and will be $299.99 with a new two-year customer agreement. The DROID Family by Motorola Complete with Tablets The DROID family also includes the two recently launched DROID XYBOARD tablets by Motorola. Both boast the blazing speeds of Verizon Wireless’ 4G LTE network and the power of dual-core 1.2 GHz processors for lightning-fast Web browsing and multi-tasking. Customers can select what size XYBOARD they want to command by choosing either the 10.1-inch or 8.2-inch DROID. Ice Cream Sandwich Update DROID RAZR and DROID RAZR MAXX are powered by the Verizon Wireless 4G LTE network and run on Android™ 2.3.5 Gingerbread, to be upgraded to Android™ 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. The DROID XYBOARD tablets will also be upgraded to Android 4.0. Both DROID smartphones will be available in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores and online at www.verizonwireless.com in the coming weeks. Additional Features and Smart Accessories A full suite of accessories that extend the power of DROID RAZR and DROID RAZR MAXX by Motorola are also available from Verizon Wireless. Accessories compatible with both DROIDs include the 10.1-inch Lapdock 100, 14-inch Lapdock 500 Pro with built-in webcam and Ethernet connection, HD Dock, HD Station and vehicle navigation mount. Plus, each device has all the software needed to customize DROID RAZR or DROID RAZR MAXX to the fullest. Stream music, photos and videos from home or work computers straight to the smartphone with MotoCast™, or automate everyday tasks by creating rules using Smart Actions. Data Plans Customers that purchase a DROID RAZR or DROID RAZR MAXX will need to subscribe to a Verizon Wireless Nationwide Talk plan beginning at $39.99 monthly access and a smartphone data package starting at $30 monthly access for 2 GB of data. Customers that purchase a DROID XYBOARD tablet will need to subscribe to a Verizon Wireless Mobile Broadband data plan starting at $30 monthly access for 2 GB of data. For more information on Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to www.verizonwireless.com. About Verizon Wireless Verizon Wireless operates the nation’s largest 4G LTE network and largest, most reliable 3G network. The company serves 107.7 million total wireless connections, including 90.7 million retail customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with nearly 83,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE, NASDAQ: VZ) and Vodafone (LSE, NASDAQ: VOD). For more information, visitwww.verizonwireless.com. To preview and request broadcast-quality video footage and high-resolution stills of Verizon Wireless operations, log on to the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library atwww.verizonwireless.com/multimedia. About Motorola Mobility Motorola Mobility, Inc. (NYSE:MMI) fuses innovative technology with human insights to create experiences that simplify, connect and enrich people's lives. Our portfolio includes converged mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets; wireless accessories; end-to-end video and data delivery; and management solutions, including set-tops and data-access devices. For more information, visit motorola.com/mobility. All talk and standby times are quoted in Digital Mode, and are approximate. Battery performance depends on network configuration, signal strength, operating temperature, features selected, and voice, data and other application usage patterns. MOTOCAST supports many popular file formats and codecs. Additional software is necessary to enable use of unsupported files on your mobile phone. DRM-protected content is not supported. Respect the rights of copyright owners by only using MOTOCAST to stream and sync authorized content. MOTOROLA and the Stylized M Logo are registered trademarks of Motorola Trademark Holdings, LLC. Facebook is a trademark of Facebook, Inc. Adobe and Adobe Flash are trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated in the United States and other countries. Google, Android Market, Google Maps Navigation Beta, Google Mail, and YouTube are trademarks of Google, Inc. DLNA is a service mark of Digital Living Network Alliance in the United States and other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. © 2012 Motorola Mobility, Inc. All rights reserved. ####

Verizon and Motorola Make the DROID 4 Official, Available in the "Coming Weeks"

Kellen — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 11:14:29 +0000

And there she is, the DROID 4. The specs for this phone are not a mystery whatsoever, but it's official now thanks to a press release from Verizon and Motorola. As you know from the various posts we have had for this phone, it rocks a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, slideout edge lit keyboard, a 4" screen, and most importantly, has 4G LTE connectivity. No release date or price was given, but Big Red has said that it will be available in the "coming weeks." The device will be on display at both Motorola and Verizon's booths which open tomorrow. We will definitely get our hands all over it. Everyone ready for the first big boy LTE slider?

Verizon Wireless And Motorola Unveil Thinnest And Most Powerful 4G LTE QWERTY Smartphone: DROID 4 By Motorola

Raw Power and Innovative Design Empower Customers to Take Care of Business Like Never Before
LAS VEGAS, NV and BASKING RIDGE, NJ — Today at the 2012 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES), Motorola Mobility, Inc. (NYSE: MMI) and Verizon Wireless introduced the new DROID 4 by Motorola, the thinnest and most powerful 4G LTE QWERTY smartphone offering the power and capabilities to handle even the most demanding lifestyles. Verizon Wireless leads the way in 4G with the fastest and most reliable 4G network in the United States, covering more than 200 million people in 190 markets. The DROID 4 will be in the Verizon booth (Las Vegas Convention Center, South Hall, Booth #30259) as well as in the Motorola booth (Las Vegas Convention Center, Central Hall, Booth #8644). DROID 4 is deceivingly slim at half an inch thin – packing not only a dual-core 1.2 GHz processor and 1 GB of RAM, but also a five-row QWERTY keyboard with a PC-like layout and edge-lit keys for fast, precise typing, even in the dark. It’s Business Ready with government-grade encryption to keep data secure. It features software tools such as MotoCast™ for remote access to music, pictures and videos on home or work computers, Smart Actions application to automate everyday tasks and the revolutionary webtop application for a multi-window environment with full Firefox® browser on a larger screen to boost productivity while on the road. An 8-megapixel camera with 1080p HD video capture and Mirror Mode to display images and video on an HDTV, give DROID 4 users even more flexibility while at work or for play. DROID 4 delivers expected speeds of 5 to 12 megabits per second (Mbps) and upload speeds of 2 to 5 Mbps within 4G LTE Mobile Broadband coverage areas for blazing fast Web browsing, video streaming and online collaboration. A full suite of accessory options extends the power of DROID 4 and allows consumers to work however they work best. Accessories compatible with DROID 4 include the 10.1-inch Lapdock 100, 14-inch Lapdock 500 Pro with built-in webcam and Ethernet connection, HD Dock, HD Station and vehicle navigation mount. Additional features

Powered by Android™ 2.3.5 Gingerbread, to be upgraded to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich

4.0-inch qHD display with scratch and scrape resistant glass

MotoCast for remote streaming of photos, videos, music, documents, presentations and more from home or office computers

4G LTE Mobile Hotspot supporting up to eight Wi-Fi-enabled devices

Water-repellent nanocoating for splash resistance

16 GB on-board memory (actual formatted capacity is less); Support for up to 32 GB microSD™ card

Business Ready with government-grade encryption (FIPS 140-2) for email, calendar and contacts; preloaded with Citrix® Receiver™ for Android (available in webtop) for desktop virtualization and access

The DROID 4 by Motorola will be available in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores and online at www.verizonwireless.com in the coming weeks. For more information on Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to www.verizonwireless.com. About Verizon Wireless Verizon Wireless operates the nation’s largest 4G LTE network and largest, most reliable 3G network. The company serves 107.7 million total wireless connections, including 90.7 million retail customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with nearly 83,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE, NASDAQ: VZ) and Vodafone (LSE, NASDAQ: VOD). For more information, visitwww.verizonwireless.com. To preview and request broadcast-quality video footage and high-resolution stills of Verizon Wireless operations, log on to the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library atwww.verizonwireless.com/multimedia. About Motorola Mobility Motorola Mobility, Inc. (NYSE:MMI) fuses innovative technology with human insights to create experiences that simplify, connect and enrich people's lives. Our portfolio includes converged mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets; wireless accessories; end-to-end video and data delivery; and management solutions, including set-tops and data-access devices. For more information, visit motorola.com/mobility. MOTOROLA and the Stylized M Logo are registered trademarks of Motorola Trademark Holdings, LLC. Google, and Android are trademarks of Google, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. © 2012 Motorola Mobility, Inc. All rights reserved. ####

Corning Unveils Gorilla Glass 2, Looks To Protect All Our Precious Phones

Eric — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 10:55:12 +0000

Well, we knew it was coming and here it is. Corning has officially announced the next generation in their widely popular protective glass, Gorilla Glass 2. The newer material allows for the same scratch resistant and damage prevention while reducing the thickness by 20 percent. This means slimmer devices, better colors and greater touch sensitivity on phones. Corning says that their new glass is already in the hands of manufacturers and that we should be seeing implementation of this upgraded glass "during the coming months."

CORNING UNVEILS NEW GORILLA^® GLASS 2

With new glass composition, tough gets better – with device performance benefits for sophisticated user experiences

CORNING, N.Y., January 9, 2012 – Corning Incorporated (NYSE: GLW) introduces Corning^®Gorilla^®Glass 2, the next generation of the company’s widely accepted, damage-resistant cover glass for consumer electronic devices, at the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this week. The outstanding performance benefits of this new glass will be showcased through live demonstrations in the Corning booth, #12642 Central Hall, during show hours tomorrow, Jan. 10, through Friday, Jan. 13. Corning Gorilla Glass 2 enables up to a 20 percent reduction in glass thickness, while maintaining the industry-leading damage resistance, toughness, and scratch resistance customers have come to expect from the world’s most widely deployed cover glass. The thinner Gorilla Glass 2 enables slimmer and sleeker devices, brighter images, and greater touch sensitivity. These benefits can provide electronics manufacturers with superior design flexibility as they address consumer demand for increasingly high-performing, touch-sensitive, and durable mobile devices. “Corning Gorilla Glass has enjoyed tremendous market adoption in the high-growth mobile handset and computing device market, providing a replacement for plastic and legacy soda-lime glass as a protective cover and elegant design solution,” saidJames R. Steiner, senior vice president and general manager, Corning Specialty Materials. “We knew Corning Gorilla Glass could get even better. So, in response to our customers’ drive toward thinner form factors, we designed this new glass to enable meaningful reduction in thickness without sacrificing the outstanding glass performance for which Gorilla Glass has become highly recognized. This glass, along with Windows operating system innovations from Microsoft, will help deliver exceptional beauty, performance, and toughness for new Windows PCs. You will see this early this year with Windows-based PCs which we expect to be the first in-market laptops designed to leverage the performance of our new second-generation glass,” Steiner remarked. "We’re very excited about the introduction of Corning’s thin, high-performing Gorilla Glass 2,” said Nick Parker, vice president, Worldwide OEM Marketing, Microsoft. “As Windows continues to bring new experiences to customers on new devices, we look to Corning to bring innovative, durable glass solutions that enable brighter images and greater touch sensitivity." Product qualification and design implementation for Corning Gorilla Glass 2 are underway with Corning’s global customers, a number of whom are expected to unveil new devices using Corning Gorilla Glass 2 during the coming months. First introduced in 2007, Corning Gorilla Glass set the industry standard for damage-resistant cover glass. Today it is the most widely deployed cover glass, used by more than 30 major brands and designed into more than 575 product models, spanning more than 500 million units worldwide. As one of the company’s fastest growing businesses, Corning Gorilla Glass is expected to reach more than $700 million in 2011 sales, nearly triple 2010 results. Forward-Looking and Cautionary Statements This press release contains “forward-looking statements” (within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995), which are based on current expectations and assumptions about Corning’s financial results and business operations, that involve substantial risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially. These risks and uncertainties include: the effect of global political, economic and business conditions; conditions in the financial and credit markets; currency fluctuations; tax rates; product demand and industry capacity; competition; reliance on a concentrated customer base; manufacturing efficiencies; cost reductions; availability of critical components and materials; new product commercialization; pricing fluctuations and changes in the mix of sales between premium and non-premium products; new plant start-up or restructuring costs; possible disruption in commercial activities due to terrorist activity, armed conflict, political or financial instability, natural disasters, adverse weather conditions, or major health concerns; adequacy of insurance; equity company activities; acquisition and divestiture activities; the level of excess or obsolete inventory; the rate of technology change; the ability to enforce patents; product and components performance issues; retention of key personnel; stock price fluctuations; and adverse litigation or regulatory developments. These and other risk factors are detailed in Corning’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the day that they are made, and Corning undertakes no obligation to update them in light of new information or future events. About Corning Incorporated CorningIncorporated (www.corning.com) is the world leader in specialty glass and ceramics. Drawing on more than 160 years of materials science and process engineering knowledge, Corning creates and makes keystone components that enable high-technology systems for consumer electronics, mobile emissions control, telecommunications and life sciences. Our products include glass substrates for LCD televisions, computer monitors and laptops; ceramic substrates and filters for mobile emission control systems; optical fiber, cable, hardware & equipment for telecommunications networks; optical biosensors for drug discovery; and other advanced optics and specialty glass solutions for a number of industries including semiconductor, aerospace, defense, astronomy, and metrology.

Manufacturer Woes [Opinion]

Ron — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 10:41:53 +0000

Within the last week the top three Android manufacturers reported their most recent earnings. HTC reported its first quarterly profit decline in two years, Motorola's sales are expected to be disappointing yet again, and Samsung is doing fairly well (though their earning numbers were boosted by the sale of their hard drive division to Seagate). In short, except for Samsung, the top three Android manufacturers are not doing well. It's easy for us to look at market share and assume that because Android is dominating, that means every manufacturer is doing well. That's simply not the case. So far every manufacturer's strategy has been to make as many models as they can and hope they sell well. The result is a flood of devices in the market and delayed updates. If you make some really good devices you might be able to avoid financial trouble (Samsung), but if you make terrible devices this strategy is just going to kill you (Motorola). HTC has managed to stay in between these extremes by making some good devices, all of which were very similar to each other. I think the main reason that Samsung has been able to weather this year (aside from their sale of their hard drive division) has been their judicious release of halo devices like the Galaxy S and Galaxy S II. I imagine Samsung would do even better if they limited their device SKUs even further. No one wanted the Continuum, Illusion, Stratosphere, Captivate Glide, DoubleTime, Transform, Transform Ultra, Conquer 4G, Replenish, Dart, or Gravity Smart (Seriously?). Samsung isn't doing well because they sold thousands of Gravity Smarts, it's because they sold thousands of Galaxy S and S II variants. While Samsung was making a name for itself with the Galaxy line of phones, HTC pushed out several Evos, the Thunderbolt, the Incredible 2, the Rhyme, the Rezound, the Sensation, a couple MyTouch 4Gs, the Amaze 4G, the Wildfire S, and the ChaCha. Some of these devices were fantastic, while others were incredibly sexist or too reminiscent of Peek. Meanwhile, Motorola was trying to come up with a great new tablet name and somehow Xyboard made the list. It's easy to lay all of the blame on so many devices on the manufacturers, but the truth is that the manufacturers wouldn't make them if the carriers didn't order them. The problem is, the carriers don't care if a manufacturer goes under making devices no one will buy. If Motorola goes under Verizon can just rely on HTC or Samsung to make more Android devices to fill their stores with. I understand that some need cheaper phones, but that's what older models are for. You can't afford the Galaxy S II? Get the Galaxy S instead. That way you cover both the high end and the low end without flooding the market with useless iterations of the same phone. The other essential piece that manufacturers need to continue being successful is to ensure customer loyalty. After the Droid 2 I will never own another Motorola product again. The Droid 2 was haunted by both software issues (Exchange issues, random reboots, etc.), and hardware issues (inconsistent keyboard design between devices, easily cracked bezel, unresponsive power button). The Droid 3 was an improvement, but with a locked boot loader and Blur on board many passed it up. Phones like that don't ensure customer loyalty. People want to know that their device is going to make it through their contract. The other side of ensuring customer loyalty is providing updates to devices. Samsung's decision not to update the Galaxy S to Ice Cream Sandwich when the Nexus S is getting it is an outrage. It isn't about the phone working or not, obviously it will still work with or without ICS; it's about being sure that Samsung is going to invest in keeping your device up to date for the duration of your contract. If Samsung spent more time maintaining their halo devices and less time releasing phones that no one wants they'd be able to allocate more resources to ensure that the millions of people who bought Galaxy S devices had ICS. I don't want to buy a phone that may not receive updates. More importantly, if a skin is the reason I'm not getting an update I'd rather not have it. There are definitely some who won't care about the update, but for those of us who do, the lack of an update is more incentive to buy devices like the Galaxy Nexus instead of the Galaxy S II. I want to see Android manufacturers continue to be successful, but right now they're on a path towards destruction. Too many models only confuses consumers and make updates more difficult to roll out. Samsung and HTC should be making a few halo devices per year without carrier variation. Carrier variations lead to one carrier having a 1.2 GHz processor in the Galaxy Nexus and a (rumored) 1.5 GHz processor in another carrier's version. People like options, but no one likes carrier specific options. Right now carriers have too much power and manufacturers are too willing to make dozens of devices that fill shelves instead of meeting demands. Creating customer loyalty ensures a sale every two years. Knowing that a Samsung or HTC device is not only top of the line when released, but will also receive updates throughout the duration of the contract is important to many consumers. I want a relationship with my manufacturer, not my carrier.

Huawei Ascend P1 S Slims Down For World's Slimmest Phone Title

Eric — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 10:00:03 +0000

The Motorola RAZR had a good run, but it is no longer the slimmest phone in the world. That title now belongs to the phone Huawei just announced at CES 2012, the Ascend P1 S. This 4.3" 960 x 540 touchscreen has Corning Gorilla Glass (the original Gorilla Glass, not the 2 that we expect Corning to show this week) protecting its sleek body that houses a 1.5GHz dual-core processor inside. And it's only 5.68mm thick, the RAZR being 7.1mm.

The press picture is not lying either, the phone will launch with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. An 8MP camera on the rear and a 1.3MP shooter on the front are your camera options and the back has a dual-LED flash to light up those darker pictures for you. It will be available in black, white and pink for you fashion conscious people out there. No mention of LTE radios yet though, that will remain to be seen. Keep an eye out for our hands-on with this phone later this week.

Las Vegas, U.S.A., January 9, 2012: Huawei, a leading global information and communications technology (ICT) solutions provider, unveiled the world’s slimmest smartphone today at the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show (CES). The Huawei Ascend P1 S is 6.68mm thin and features a 4.3-inch Super AMOLED 960 x 540 touchscreen with Corning^®Gorilla^® Glass. The Ascend P1 S is also the fastest and most compact smartphone in its class with a dual-core 1.5GHz TI OMAP 4460 Cortext-A9 processor and Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich operating system. “We’re excited to unveil the world’s slimmest smartphone here at CES 2012,” said Richard Yu, Chairman of Huawei Device. “The Ascend P1 S demonstrates our ongoing commitment to innovating high quality devices that utilize the latest hardware and software technologies.” Huawei also unveiled the Ascend P1 which, as part of the same smartphone series, boasts the same functionality while measuring 7.69mm. Delivering the ultimate in elegance and speed with a 1670mAh/1800mAh battery, the Huawei Ascend P1/P1 S series provides the fastest multi-tasking, video replay and gaming experience in its class. The Huawei Ascend P1/P1 S series feature a super-sleek and narrow 64.8mm body, elegant contours and an effortlessly stylish design. The PPVD back cover coating evenly distributes heat, and provides a strong metallic, three-dimensional design with a delicate texture. The Ascend P1/P1 S is available in metallic black, ceramic white and cherry-blossom pink with more colors to come to match your personal style wherever you are, whatever you’re doing. The Ascend P1/P1 S brings your digital world to life with its impressive 8-megapixel BSI rear-facing and 1.3-megapixel HD front-facing cameras with dual flash LED and HDR effect optimization. The Ascend P1/P1 S allows you to capture special moments in sharper, brighter and clearer detail both in light and dim environments. Relive your most memorable moments on the Huawei Ascend P1/P1 S with its stunning 1080p HD video-capture capabilities. Its high speed data connectivity through 3G, WiFi and Bluetooth and in-built social media capabilities enable you to instantly share your photos and videos via social media. The Huawei Ascend P1/P1 S will be available in Europe, Asia-Pacific, North America, Australia, Middle East, and China from April 2012. About Huawei Device Huawei Device believes that everyone can be the center of information and that the world would be a better place if access and information barriers were knocked down. Its strong suite of mobile phones, mobile broadband devices and home devices is testimony to Huawei Device's focus on customers and its commitment to providing user-friendly mobile internet experiences through ongoing innovation. Based on more than two decades of success in the information and communications industry, and with our own channel expertise, operational capabilities and global partner resources, Huawei Device is transforming from a company that sells millions of devices in single transactions to large businesses, to a “Business-to-People” (B2P) brand that also sells individual devices directly to millions of people. As at the end of 2011, Huawei Device serves more than 500 operators all over the world. For more information, visit Huawei Device online: www.huaweidevice.com

Asus Announces New Transformer Prime TF700T with Higher Resolution and 2MP Front Camera, Plus the Eee Pad Memo

Eric — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 09:30:04 +0000

Well, the people have spoken and ASUS listened. Did you complain about WiFi and GPS problems with your ASUS Transformer Prime? The company has announced that an upgraded version of the quad-core tablet will be released fixing that problem while throwing in a few upgrades as well. The device features a new backplate which should increase wireless connectivity while also bumping the front camera to 2MP and adding in a higher resolution screen. The screen is now 1920 x 1200 and the new camera allows for HD video-chatting. ASUS also announced the 7" Eee Pad MeMO with a 1280 x 800 resolution packed on top of a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, that will run Android 4.0.1. The smaller media-centered tablet will come in 16GB and 32GB variations and will be available in the second quarter of 2012. New Transformer Prime Specs:

10.1” Tablet with an emphasis on Entertainment, Media, Gaming and Productivity. Thin and Light chassis design with a 1080P capable display screen.
MSRP – $599~$699 Availability – Q2 2012 in North America
Processor- NVIDIA Tegra 3 Mobile Processor (1.3 GHz Quad core Cortex A9, 12 core GeForce GPU)
Display - Brilliant 10.1” HD (1920x1200), 178 degrees ultra-wide viewing angle Super IPS+ panel display with Gorilla™ Glass
Camera - Rear facing 8MP Auto-Focus camera with dedicated LED Flash, 2.0MP Front Facing camera for Video Chat
Storage - 32GB or 64GB internal memory plus 8GB of ASUS Web Storage2
Media Capabilities - 1080p MPEG-4/H.264 High Profile, High Bit Rate video decode and playback
Media Capture - 1080p MPEG-4/H.264 video capture
Connectivity - Wi-Fi – 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR technology
Ports - 2-in-1 3.5mm jack, micro-HDMI output, microSD card reader
Audio - Built-in stereo speakers, microphone
Dimensions - 263 x 180.8 x 8.3mm, 586g
Battery - 25WHr Lithium-Polymer Battery

Eee Pad Memo

7” Tablet with an emphasis on Entertainment, Media and Light Productivity. Thin and Light chassis design with Capacitive Stylus capabilities.
MSRP – TBD
Display - 7.0” WXGA, 1280 x 800 resolution, IPS panel with capacitive touch
Processor- Qualcomm 8260 1.2GHz dual-core
Memory- 1GB
Storage- eMMC 16GB/32GB ; ASUS Webstorage options
Connectivity- WLAN 802.11b/g/n , Bluetooth 2.1 +EDR
Camera- 1.2MP Video Camera (front )/5MP Auto-Focus Camera (rear) (1080P recording)
aGPS- Qualcomm GPS One
Sensors- G-sensor; e-compass; Light sensor; Gyroscope, Proximity sensor
Interface- Android 4.01
Availability – Q2 2012 in North America

Verizon and LG Announce the Spectrum, Available January 19 for $199

Kellen — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 09:10:23 +0000

The LG Spectrum is now official and headed to Verizon on January 19 for $199. This device isn't a secret to any of you since we dropped a bomb of knowledge about it last week, but the price is new and shocking for the most part. As a high end LTE device on Big Red, that $199 price is a breath of fresh air. To recap, this phone has a 4.5" True HD IPS display, 1.5Ghz dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM, 8MP rear shooter, front camera, Android 2.3 and runs on Verizon's 4G LTE network. It's most definitely LG's best device in a long, long time. Press release below. Spectrum landing page here.

VERIZON WIRELESS AND LG MOBILE CONTINUE LEGACY OF INNOVATION BY OFFERING A TRUE HD MOBILE EXPERIENCE WITH SPECTRUM™ BY LG

Latest LG Smartphone Boasts True HD IPS Display, Verizon Wireless 4G LTE, Dual-Core Processor and ESPN ScoreCenter App with Exclusive HD Feed
LAS VEGAS - From the 2012 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES), Verizon Wireless and LG Mobile today announced Spectrum™ by LG smartphone, exclusively for Verizon Wireless. Spectrum is the first smartphone for Verizon Wireless to feature a 4.5-inch True HD In-Plane Switching (IPS) display, the same display technology used in premium LG HD televisions. Intensifying its HD capabilities, Spectrum by LG will give customers exclusive HD access to the ESPN™ ScoreCenter application. Spectrum will be in the Verizon booth (Las Vegas Convention Center, South Hall, Booth #30259) and LG booth (Las Vegas Convention Center, Central Hall, Booth #8204). ESPN’s ScoreCenter app is supported by an exclusive HD video feed, giving customers the exclusive access to ScoreCenter stats, images and videos in 720p HD. Scoreboards and live game details include in-game stats, news and video. Personalization features allow fans to customize their ScoreCenter experience by highlighting their favorite teams and leagues from around the world, all in crystal clear high-definition. Showcasing LG’s True HD technology, Spectrum by LG supports 1280 x 720 resolution and offers one of the brightest and sharpest displays available on a mobile device. Spectrum’s 500-nit display luminance and Real-Stripe RGB pixels offer users clear viewing in direct sunlight and accurate true-to-life color rendering. Spectrum also features a Qualcomm® 1.5 GHz dual-core processor combined with 4G LTE connectivity for robust power, multitasking and download speeds. Verizon Wireless leads the way in 4G with the fastest and most reliable 4G network in the United States, covering more than 200 million people in 190 markets.
Key features:

• 4.5-inch True HD IPS display provides natural colors and brilliant, undistorted HD images in 16:9 aspect ratio. Pictures and texts are incredibly sharp with 329 pixels per inch (PPI) screen density.

• Protected by Corning® Gorilla® Glass, the True HD IPS display uses Real Stripe subpixel arrangement so images never get blurred.

• Android™ 2.3 Gingerbread (Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich upgrade available the first half of 2012); support for Google™ Mobile Services including Gmail™, YouTube™, Google Talk™, Google Search™, Google Maps™ and access to more than 300,000 apps available to download from Android Market™.

• Preloaded Netflix app allows Netflix subscribers to stream the latest movies in high-definition quality.

• Qualcomm 1.5 GHz dual-core processor makes multitasking seamless. Customers can surf the Web, check email and update social networks effortlessly.

• ESPN’s ScoreCenter app offers the most comprehensive sports coverage available on an Android device whether you follow the NFL or Premier League, ICC Champions League or MLB™, NASCAR or Formula One™. Customers can follow teams from more than 500 leagues around the world with an exclusive 720p high-definition feed for Spectrum by LG while connected to the Verizon Wireless 4G LTE network or Wi-Fi.

• Spectrum supports Dolby® Digital Plus, which allows users to maximize their HD multimedia experience. Dolby Digital Plus can stream up to 7.1 channels of surround sound through home entertainment systems.

Additional features:

• 8-megapixel rear-facing autofocus camera with LED flash to snap beautiful pictures and 1080p video capture

• Front-facing 1.3-megapixel camera for video chat

• SmartMovie HD app—create and edit HD videos right on the Spectrum by LG

• Mobile Hotspot capability—share 4G LTE connection with up to 10 Wi-Fi-enabled devices

• Bluetooth® Version 3.0

• 16 GB microSD™ card pre-installed with support for up to 32 GB microSD card

• SmartShare—share media wirelessly to DLNA®-enabled devices

• HDMI mirroring capable via MHL

Pricing and availability:

• Spectrum by LG will be available on Jan. 19 in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores and online at www.verizonwireless.com for $199.99 with a new two-year customer agreement.

• Customers who purchase a Spectrum by LG will need to subscribe to a Verizon Wireless Nationwide Talk plan beginning at $39.99 monthly access and a smartphone data package starting at $30 monthly access for 2 GB of data.

Customers Can Score the Game Winner

LG and ESPN are teaming up to give fans the chance to score an unbelievable sports weekend, including two tickets to ESPN The Magazine’s NEXT Event and a trip to the big game in Indianapolis on Sunday, Feb. 5. Customers can visit www.SpectrumbyLg.com or www.verizonwireless.com/spectrum for official rules, details and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be a part of sports history.

For more information and product images, please visit LG’s online press kit at www.LGnewsroom.com/ces2012.

# # #

Live - Intel CES 2012 Event

Kellen — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 08:59:35 +0000

I got blocked out of the Intel event, but Tim was able to make it in early. He'll do his best to keep you all up to date on what Intel has, just in case they announce some Android stuff. Wish him luck!

Live - LG CES 2012 Press Event

Kellen — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 07:58:15 +0000

So CES 2012 technically kicked off yesterday, but today is official press day, where companies like LG, Intel, Samsung and NVIDIA are going to show off some of the new innovations that they have coming to your home throughout the next year. The first of the day is LG, who we can probably expect to announce new TV sets, some appliances, and then hopefully a phone or two. Maybe the LG Spectrum? Any other guesses? They did give us 3D glasses to wear during some portion of the event, so that's exciting enough. Live blog after the jump!

HTC Rezound Drops to $199 at Verizon Just Two Months After Release

Kellen — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 07:42:00 +0000

We can't say that we are surprised by this move, but the HTC Rezound has already dropped to just $199 on 2-year contract at Verizon. Introduced only 2 months ago as one of the top 4G LTE phones built to date, this phone was stuck with the difficult task of competing with the DROID RAZR and Galaxy Nexus out of the gate. Originally priced at $299, this is a pretty major price drop. If you had been eyeing the Rezound, especially after HTC released a bootloader unlocking solution for it, nite would be a great time to jump on it. Buy. Cheers Josh!

HTC Turkey Promises January Ice Cream Sandwich Upgrades For 8 Phones, Thunderbolt Included (Updated)

Eric — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 07:00:02 +0000

Update: We're not so sure now that this list is actually real. The Facebook page has been pulled, and was reportedly not even from an HTC employee. Go ahead and ignore this one, folks.

HTC has taken to their Facebook page in Turkey to provide their hungry users with some much wanted information. This info has to do with the upgrades to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich for their 2011 handsets. Almost 8 phones are listed as being worked on for upgrades already for release in the first quarter of 2012. Aside from the EVO 3D, which was said to have an update of December 2011, the HTC Amaze 4G, Sensation, EVO Design 4G and Vivid are all on this list.

The HTC Rezound and Thunderbolt are also on this list, but one interesting note about the Thunderbolt. It is the only phone with a "confirmed" Q1 update status as opposed to the rest of the phones "unavailable." While that is nothing to set in stone it's at least comforting to know that HTC is working hard to bring people ICS who were early adopters of 4G LTE. Making a list of upgrades is one thing, but 8 phones in a month is one tall order, is HTC ready for that?

Via: Pocketnow, Facebook

SoulCraft THD Beta Available For Tegra Powered Devices

Tim — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 16:01:07 +0000

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDWDgTkuDXc[/youtube] An open beta version of SoulCraft THD is now available on the Android Market for Tegra powered devices. Lovers of action RPG games will be right at home in this visually appetizing game from MobileBits GmbH. If your phone happens to be powered by a Tegra processor, then be sure to check this one out before it leaves beta. Features:

- free2play Action RPG for Tegra Android (more Android devices and iOS, WP7 & PC coming soon) - play in real locations such as Venice, Rome & Hamburg with more locations coming soon - including New York, Tokyo or Washington - play as an Angel now with more races including Demon and Human coming soon - five different game modes including time run, arena, hellgate, crystal defense and boss fights - lots of different and diversified enemies, weapons and spells

Market Link

Quick First Look: Acer Iconia Tab with NVIDIA Tegra 3 Quad-core Processor

Kellen — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 14:36:05 +0000

The Acer CES 2012 event just finished up, and while they quickly snuck their new Iconia Tab with NVIDIA's quad-core processor on and off the stage, they did still have it on display for us to snap some quick photos. A spec sheet was missing, but they did indeed say that it is running NVIDIA's quad-core, although we aren't sure who else's this device would be running. As you will see from the pictures of the front, it's running stock Ice Cream Sandwich. It has dual cameras, a vibrant (from a distance) screen, a thin body, and what appears to be an 8.9" or so screen. All of that will we have to be confirmed once we get a hold of the press release though. For now, enjoy the pics!

Live - Acer Event CES 2012

Kellen — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 13:37:36 +0000

Well folks, it's time to kick off CES 2012! We are live from the Acer event that for the most part, is the first real press event of the whole week. Tough to tell what we may see from them, but on the Android front you have to expect some tablets. There is also a chance that we could get a new phone offering, but again, you will just have to follow along with us during this live blog to see. Our goal is to live blog just like this during each major press event. You should expect pictures, commentary and a break down of the happenings as they unfold. The quality is obviously all dependent on the internet connection that we can sustain during it, which usually isn't anything to brag about at these press gatherings. Anyways, buckle up, CES 2012 has officially begun!

Motorola Teases CES with "Stay Unplugged" Video

Kellen — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 09:35:05 +0000

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OoJ8mbn8mb4[/youtube]

Our friends from Motorola sent over their CES teaser this morning, a video recommending that you "stay unplugged." What we see is a stylish house, followed by a close-up shot of a charging cable. That charging cable then begins to weep (yes, it's apparently alive) as Motorola potentially intends to unveil something at the show which removes your need to use a wall charger, ever again. Or does this have nothing to do with charging and simply means that they will make all of your devices sync even better throughout your home? Maybe with some new app? An app doesn't sound CES-worthy does it? New hardware then? But what? Guesses?

XYBOARD WiFi Models Quietly Go Up for Pre-order at Motorola Store Ahead of CES

Kellen — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 19:08:58 +0000

Remember earlier when we mentioned that it would make sense for Motorola to announce a XYBOARD WiFi (essentially a XOOM 2) during CES? It now looks like that is exactly what will happen thanks to an early pre-order posting of all 4 models on Motorola's webstore. Both the 10.1" and 8.2" models in 32GB and 16GB sizes can be had at anywhere from $399 up to $599. The specs all match up to the 4G LTE variants that Verizon is selling, aside from the lack of an LTE radio that is. A note on each product page mentions that orders will ship the "week of 1/18."

You will probably also notice that the name "DROID" has been removed since they are not tied to Verizon. For whatever reason though, they did keep the name XYBOARD. Via: Motorola Cheers omar!

This Week In The Life Of DROID: 1/6/2012

Tim — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 15:30:47 +0000

It was a great week leading up to our departure for Las Vegas and the Consumer Electronic Show. The Galaxy Nexus continues to receive tons of developer love and even the HTC Rezound has some excellent custom ROMs available thanks to HTC's unlocking of the bootloader. If you feel like you missed anything, we have all of the highlights listed below.

We wrote about a wireless tether app for un-rooted users.
First actual pics of the white Galaxy Nexus hit the web.
LG Spectrum becomes official - Pictures and specs.
Google to launch 7" $199 tablet?
Corning to unveil Gorilla Glass 2 at CES.
Download a touch-enabled version of ClockworkMod Recovery.
2012 and still no word on Motorola's bootloaders.
Android's new Holo Theme should help manufacturers update phones faster.
How to: change your Galaxy Nexus soft keys to customized colors or versions.
Newest Swype Beta released in a variety of colors.
Asus Transformer Prime has been rooted.
HTC Rezound receives its first batch of custom ROMs.

See you next week in VEGAS, baby!

Motorola Provides Update on Business Situation - Showed "Modest Profitability" in Q4, Will Introduce "Several" New Products at CES

Kellen — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 14:33:14 +0000

Since Motorola is in the process of finalizing its merger with Google, they are apparently not ready to give us a full Q4 earnings report and have instead issued a "business situation" update. According to the release, they had sales of $3.4 billion with "modest profitability." Those sales included 10.5 million mobile devices, 5.3 million of which were smartphones. Thanks to the increased competitive environment and legal costs associated with patent trolling by Apple and others, these results are what they are. In related news, Motorola at least has plans to introduce "several" new products at CES next week. So far we have not seen any clues as to what those may be, but one would guess that the DROID 4 will likely be one of them. I also would not be surprised if we see WiFi versions of the XYBOARD (XOOM 2) come to the U.S. and maybe even the new RAZR MAXX or a variant of it that is headed to AT&T (Dinara anyone?). The Google-Motorola merger is still expected to be completed early this year.

Motorola Mobility Provides Business Update
Jan. 06, 2012 LIBERTYVILLE, Ill., Jan. 6, 2012 - Motorola Mobility Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: MMI) ("Motorola Mobility") today announced preliminary results for the fourth-quarter 2011. Although the Company has not finalized its financial results for the fourth-quarter, it estimates sales of $3.4 billion with modest profitability on a non-GAAP basis. These estimates include shipments of approximately 10.5 million mobile devices, of which approximately 5.3 million were smartphones. Motorola Mobility’s fourth-quarter results were impacted by the increased competitive environment in the Mobile Device business and higher legal costs associated with ongoing Intellectual Property (IP) litigations. The Company estimates sales of $900 million for the Home business in the fourth-quarter. Motorola Mobility will issue its fourth-quarter 2011 earnings results at approximately 3:00 p.m. U.S. Central Time on Thursday, January 26, 2012. As previously announced on August 15, 2011, Motorola Mobility and Google Inc. (“Google”) (NASDAQ: GOOG) entered into a definitive agreement for Google to acquire Motorola Mobility for $40.00 per share in cash, or a total of approximately $12.5 billion. On November 7, 2011, Motorola Mobility stockholders voted overwhelmingly to approve the proposed merger with Google at the Company’s Special Meeting of Stockholders. The Company continues to work closely with Google to complete the proposed acquisition of Motorola Mobility as expeditiously as possible. The Company notes that the transaction remains subject to various closing conditions, and currently expects the transaction to close in early 2012 once all conditions have been satisfied. The Company reminds stockholders that it is possible that the failure to timely meet such conditions or other factors outside of the Company's control could delay or prevent completion of the transaction altogether. Information on the Google acquisition can be found at investors.motorola.com. Motorola Mobility also noted that it will be showcasing and introducing several new products at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas beginning January 10, 2012. Please visit the Company’s exhibition booth at the Las Vegas Convention Center, Central Hall Booth No. 8644 to see the latest innovative products and experiences from the Mobile Devices and Home businesses. Business Risks Motorola Mobility cautions the reader that this communication includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the expected closing date of the proposed Google transaction. Forward-looking statements involve certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated in such forward-looking statements including, but not limited to, fourth quarter performance and the ability of the parties to consummate the proposed transaction and the satisfaction of the conditions precedent to consummation of the proposed transaction, including the ability to secure regulatory and other approvals at all or in a timely manner; and the other risks and uncertainties contained and identified in Motorola Mobility’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), any of which could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements included in this press release are made only as of the date hereof. Motorola Mobility undertakes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances or update the reasons that actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in forward-looking statements, except as required by law. About Motorola Mobility Motorola Mobility, Inc. (NYSE:MMI) fuses innovative technology with human insights to create experiences that simplify, connect and enrich people's lives. Our portfolio includes converged mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets; wireless accessories; end-to-end video and data delivery; and management solutions, including set-tops and data-access devices. For more information, visit motorola.com/mobility.

###

CES 2012 Starts on Sunday, We'll Be There Covering It All

Kellen — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 14:15:49 +0000

Each year at the beginning of January, the tech world gathers in Las Vegas to put it all on the line at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES). New products are unveiled, parties remove years off of everyone's lives, and we (the media) attempt to cover it all while giving you our thoughts on the insane amount of information that was poured down our throats. It may sound like a blast...actually it is a blast. It's like one giant playground for nerds. Yeah, it's awesome.

Coverage of the Event

Tato and I will be on hand for it all starting Sunday afternoon. A couple of pre-CES press events will happen that afternoon, but the big day that you will really want to be here for is Monday. Monday is official press day at CES, which means all of your favorite companies will be showing off their latest and greatest 2012 goodies. You will see new stuff from LG, Samsung, NVIDIA, Intel and more. Some of these press events will be streamed live (like NVIDIA's), but no matter what, you can expect a live blog with pictures and play-by-play coverage right here. After press day ends, it's off to the show floor from Tuesday-Friday to meet with companies 1-on-1. We already have meetings set up with Verizon, Motorola, Samsung, TI, NVIDIA, and so many more that it would take up an entire column to list. Just know that if one of these major tech companies has something worthwhile, that we will bring it to you.

Keeping Up with Coverage

Everything will be posted here at Droid Life as normal, but if you want to find late breaking news, see photos from the entire week, or simply dive into the lives of two CES attendees, you can follow Tato and I in a variety of ways. The biggest is obviously going to be Twitter. Our Twitter timeline will be CES upon CES upon CES. Google+ will also be a way to see a constant stream of photos. Follow us: Twitter | Google+ | Facebook | RSS It should be one hell of a week, to say the least. Anything in particular that you are looking forward to seeing?

Microsoft To Bring Xbox Live To Android and iOS Devices?

Tim — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 13:52:41 +0000

According to a job posting, Microsoft is looking to bring Xbox Live to other mobile platforms besides their own. Along with the posting, a developer who works closely with Microsoft confirmed the info to Business Insider. If this pans out to be true, then we can say, "au revoir" to Microsoft's marketing scheme of listing Windows phones as being the only ones with Xbox Live built in. A clip from the job posting reads as:

"As the team inside IEB (Interactive Entertainment Business) dedicated to mobile experiences, we work closely with console software team and Xbox LIVE services team to bring the latest and greatest gaming and entertainment experience to mobile platforms including Windows Phone, iOS and other mobile platforms."

As Android users, we don't even have an official way of signing into our Xbox Live accounts yet, so an entire app that would include games would be fantastic. No time frame has been stated, but rest assured we're looking out for one. Via: Business Insider

Download: LG Spectrum User Guide

Tim — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 12:00:56 +0000

What else could you possibly need to know about this phone? The answers lie within the pages of the LG Spectrum User Guide which we have posted below for everyone's pleasure. We have already broke the news about the phone's release date and a full set of specs. Have at it. Download: VS920_manual.pdf Cheers ___!

Samsung Puts Up Record Numbers This Quarter, HTC Falters For The First Time In Two Years

Tim — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 11:20:53 +0000

Both Samsung and HTC released their Q4 earnings today and the results are no where near similar. Thanks to shipping over 32 million smartphones and a hefty $1.38 billion dollar deal for their hard drive business to Seagate, Samsung's operating profit jumped an entire 75% to $4.5 billion. While HTC struggled to make a new place for themselves in the smartphone market, they dropped 26% to just $364 million of net income. Samsung seems to have all the right moves lately as back in October they were named the world's #1 smartphone manufacturer over Apple. HTC shipped an estimated 10 million smartphones, but are expected to ship an even lower 8.5 million this quarter. Thanks to the stiff competition from Samsung and Apple, HTC needs the ability to find their, "competitive edge" which analysts are projecting may not happen until mid-2012. It is easy to see that these newest numbers somewhat reflect the numbers we posted when we asked our readers which devices they owned. The Rezound was definitely a device HTC might have banked on, but thanks to the Galaxy Nexus, it didn't see as much success as they might have hoped for. Via: Bloomberg, Venture Beat

Advances In Smartphones Causing Top 1% Of Mobile Users To Consume Half The World's Bandwith

Eric — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 10:39:39 +0000

An interesting report out of the New York Times today reports that the top percentage of mobile users in the world are consuming a huge amount of the world's mobile broadband bandwith. Arieso, a company in Newbury, England, that tracks these kinds of statistics for many countries has been documenting the gap and found it is growing. In 2009, the top 3% of users used 40 percent of traffic, now that same group uses almost 70 percent.

The "extreme users" that Arieso describes is a hard group to pin down, and the NYT notes that these lines aren't drawn along socioeconomic lines, but the company did find that 64% of those users were using wireless laptop cards, a third of them use smartphones and 3% of those users had iPads. One can expect laptop modems to use more data than smartphones but that section of the use is on the rise, and something that network providers like Verizon and AT&T need to be planning for, and have been acting on. This is the reason for the tiered data plans that we all know and love, and it is only going to get worse. Sony Ericsson expects the volume of global mobile data to rise tenfold from 2011 to 2016. With the rise of cloud computing and storage, it certainly looks like that is going to be the case. Are you one of the "extreme users" of your unlimited data plan? Are you the 1%?

Via: NYT

Best Buy Has The Asus Transformer Prime In Stock Online

Tim — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 10:00:02 +0000

Last time we posted about the Transformer Prime being available online, they sold out as soon as we clicked publish. Well, Best Buy's online store now has the Asus Transformer Prime in stock. Demand sure does seem high, but fittingly so. For $500, you can score the world's first quad-core tablet which has a full 1GB of RAM, 32GB of memory, and a fantastic 8MP camera. And have we mentioned that Asus most certainly plans on bringing Ice Cream Sandwich to the device? Thinking about picking one up? Buy Online.

Looking for a WiFi Tether App that Doesn't Require Root Access? Here You Go

Kellen — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 09:33:30 +0000

We understand that not everyone is interested in rooting their Android device. While doing so usually introduces you to a whole new world of phone fun, some just do not have the time or simply do not care. One thing is clear though, they still want a wireless tethering solution that doesn't include calling up Verizon and forking out another $30 a month. That's where "Wifi Hotspot and USB Tether" comes into play. There are both free and full versions of the app that according to our readers, both work with the Galaxy Nexus. It even has a snazzy little toggle widget to get you up and tethering in seconds. Oh, and the developer offers a 5-day warranty of sorts to get you a refund if you can't seem to get the app working correctly. Worth a shot, I'd say. Market Links: Free | Full ($9.99) Cheers Scott and everyone else that sent this in!

Splashtop Remote Desktop Free Today In The Amazon Appstore, Normally $4.99

Tim — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 08:52:17 +0000

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFz0VdE0srs[/youtube]

Head on into Amazon's Appstore today and check out the free app of the day. It's called Splashtop Remote Desktop and it allows for users to connect to their PC over 3G, 4G, or WiFi. But this isn't just some simple syncing app. Oh no. This is full hands on your actual desktop, scaled down to fit on your handset - tablet or phone. Once you install the needed software on your Windows PC or Mac, the key feature that people will love is that you are able to stream audio to the device from your computer. Want Hulu on the go? Now you have it. Want your iTunes on your tablet? Now you can. The app is fantastic so make sure you give it a go. Amazon Link Cheers Elwin and Nathan!

Will the Real White Galaxy Nexus Please Stand Up?

Kellen — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 08:04:50 +0000

As expected, the real white Galaxy Nexus is simply a white housing with a white back battery and not the fully white render of ours that the tech world spread seemingly everywhere yesterday. As someone that owns the white Nexus S, this is exactly how I envisioned the device to look, and man does it looks pretty. Samsung going with the all black front as to not disrupt the beautiful infinity look of that massive 4.65" screen was a smart decision. Shot of the back after the break.

Via: Clove

More on the LG Spectrum Launching January 19 at Verizon

Kellen — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 16:10:35 +0000

On the heels of our report that the LG Spectrum is currently scheduled to launch January 19 on Verizon, the company's "Equipment Guide" has been loaded with matching information. As you can see in the "Launch Information" box, we have an "all channel" launch of January 19. You will also find some additional specs. Cheers ___!

Corning To Showcase Gorilla Glass 2 At This Year's CES in Las Vegas

Tim — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 15:35:43 +0000

Corning, the makers of the popular Gorilla Glass will be in Vegas next week at the Consumer Electronic Show to show off Gorilla Glass 2. So what can we expect from the company that already has some of the most scratch-resistant glass around? According to the presser, we could be looking at a thinner design which no one would ever argue with.

"Corning Gorilla Glass has been a tremendous success for Corning, enjoying excellent market acceptance across mobile device industries. Handset and tablet device manufacturers are clearly driving toward higher functionality from thinner designs. Corning’s latest innovation in Gorilla Glass technology is very well positioned to meet these challenges and enable broader touch technology penetration."

Gorilla Glass is one of those things that people just love, because we know it works and also brings us a sense of security. You can drop it, bend it, try to scratch it, and it just keeps looking fantastic (for the most part). It was featured on our dear Motorola "OG" DROID and countless other products we love over the last couple of years. As manufacturers continue to pump out thinner and thinner handsets, it is good to know that companies such as Corning are meeting the demands of consumers. Here's hoping Corning blows us away with Gorilla Glass 2. And you can bet that the DL staff will be at their booth when they show it off. Corning to Showcase Glass Innovation for Consumer Electronics Design at CES 2012 New Corning® Gorilla® Glass 2 to be introduced CORNING, N.Y., January 05, 2012 – Corning Incorporated (NYSE: GLW) today announced its plans for the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas next week. The Corning booth, #12642 Central Hall, will showcase the critical role of highly engineered specialty glass in addressing emerging trends highlighted at CES 2012, including: increased functionality from smaller form factors; touch technology; connected devices in new application spaces; and sleek, durable large-format design aesthetics. A key feature of Corning’s CES exposure will be the introduction of Corning® Gorilla® Glass 2, the next generation of the popular, damage-resistant cover glass for consumer electronic devices. “Corning Gorilla Glass has been a tremendous success for Corning, enjoying excellent market acceptance across mobile device industries. Handset and tablet device manufacturers are clearly driving toward higher functionality from thinner designs. Corning’s latest innovation in Gorilla Glass technology is very well positioned to meet these challenges and enable broader touch technology penetration,” said James R. Steiner, senior vice president and general manager, Corning Specialty Materials. Product details will be included in an announcement planned for Monday, Jan. 9. CES attendees can engage with Corning experts and technologies featuring the latest applications and benefits of Corning Gorilla Glass innovations. “As we did last year, we’ll provide consumers and customers visiting the Corning booth the opportunity to test first-hand the outstanding damage resistance and flexibility of this industry-leading, ultra-thin, and tough specialty glass,” Steiner added. Corning Gorilla Glass, the technology that made Corning one of the most talked-about companies at CES 2011, is currently featured on more than 30 major brands and designed into more than 575 product models, spanning more than 500 million units worldwide. The Corning booth will also explore the benefits of Corning Gorilla Glass in larger format, touch displays for education, entertainment, auto, and home appliance applications featuring new design possibilities. These include: An 82-inch advanced multi-touch LCD display prototype featuring Corning Gorilla Glass as a durable, touch-sensitive, and elegant cover glass. Touch-enabled automobile interior and home appliance center simulators demonstrating the enhanced user interface experience that thin, durable glass can enable in new design applications. A centerpiece, Gorilla Glass-covered video wall, flanked by Gorilla Glass fabricated sound speakers, projecting the latest in Corning specialty glass technology news. Additionally, Dr. Peter Bocko, Corning’s chief technology officer for Corning Glass Technologies and one of the foremost glass experts in the display industry, will be a panelist in the “Beyond the Flat Screen” session on Thursday, Jan. 12, 1:30 p.m. PST. He will discuss the latest advances in screen resolution, viewing angle, sunlight performance, and power consumption in an effort to isolate new products and opportunities.

Google Announces Google TV Partners For 2012 CES - Samsung, LG and Vizio Included

Kellen — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 15:01:43 +0000

Who said Google TV was a dead platform? After launching a major Honeycomb update a few months back, Google is ready to re-launch its TV product again this year at CES by adding on a handful of new and important partners. With more than 150 specific TV apps already available and improvements happening all the time, companies like Samsung, LG and Vizio have jumped on board and will start releasing Google TV products in 2012. Many of them will also have products on display next week at CES, a boost the platform is desperately in need of. Here is what you can expect to see from these new partners next week and throughout the year:

LG - We’re thrilled to welcome global consumer electronics leader LG to the Google TV family. LG will showcase a new line of TVs powered by Google TV running on their own L9 chipset at CES.

Marvell - Also new to the Google TV family this year is Marvell, an innovative worldwide leader in chipsets. Marvell will be showcasing a new generation of Google TV solutions which will help bring more products across more price points to consumers.

MediaTek - We’re also excited to partner with MediaTek, the leading Taiwanese chipset designer. MediaTek chipsets will power yet another wave of Google TV devices.

Samsung - We’re excited to work closely with Samsung to bring Google-TV powered Samsung devices to market in 2012.

Sony - We’re happy to build on our partnership with Sony. At CES, Sony will unveil new devices for the US and plans to offer Google TV powered products in several countries around the world in 2012.

Vizio - Last year we announced our partnership with Vizio at CES. This year we’re excited to join Vizio as they hold private demos at CES showcasing their new line of Google TV-powered products.

Can Google TV make it this time around? With big time partners like these, I'd say they stand a chance. Via: Google TV Blog

Sprint's First 4G LTE Device Could be the Galaxy Nexus According to Ad [from AL]

Kellen — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 14:43:01 +0000

Verizon's exclusive on the Galaxy Nexus here in the U.S. may be coming to an end as early as next week if this new Sprint advertisement is to be believed. We are assuming that it was not supposed to go live until CES actually kicked off, but as always before the biggest tech event of the year, someone slips up. This time it just so happened to be whoever it is that Sprint uses for an ad network. You can tell this is a CES-centric ad by the "CES Live Feed" note at the bottom of this CNET page. One interesting thing to note here, is the "1.5GHz dual-core processor." Both the GSM and Verizon LTE versions are clocked at 1.2GHz, so we aren't sure if the ad above is wrong or if the OMAP4460 is finally ready to rock at 1.5GHz. We should know more next week. Continued coverage at Android Life...

LG Spectrum Launching January 19 on Verizon with 1.5GHz Dual-core Processor, 4.5" HD Display, 4G LTE, and Exclusive HD Content

Kellen — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 13:49:52 +0000

The LG Spectrum has long been rumored as the "Revolution 2," but today, it is now officially the Spectrum and is headed to Verizon Wireless on January 19. Pricing has not been uncovered, but you can imagine that it will range from $249 - $299 on 2-year contract and anywhere between $569 and $649 at full retail. The Spectrum is easily LG's best VZW phone to date with its 1.5GHz dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM, 4G LTE connectivity and massive 4.5" HD display at 329ppi. And speaking of its HD screen, Verizon is making sure that you know it has a Real Stripe pixel arrangement and is not PenTile. Specs aside, the Spectrum will also launch with access to exclusive HD ESPN Scorecenter content and the Netflix HD that is currently only found on the RAZR. A special set of HD video editing tools will be included as well. We had been wondering what Big Red's plan for CES was and I'd say this phone will likely be it (maybe the DROID 4 too). The full round-up is after the break including the entire spec list. A look at the specs:

4.5" True HD IPS display, protected by Gorilla Glass
1.5GHz dual-core Snapdragon S3 processor
8MP rear camera, shoots 1080p video
1.3MP front camera
1GB of RAM
4GB of on-board storage, 16GB micro SD card pre-installed
4G LTE
Mobile hotspot shares up to 10 connections
Android 2.3
1830mAh battery (optional 3000mAh extended battery available at launch)
Bluetooth 3.0
Swype
Dimensions: 5.33" x 2.71" x .41"
Weight: 4.99 oz.

Full list and release date:

Gallery:

And maybe this is just me, but is Google Maps missing from the spec list? They couldn't revive Bing could they? Overall though, this is a pretty impressive device from LG and Verizon. I've been a downer on LG for a number of years now, but this has definitely caught my eye, especially with that 4.5" HD display. Bring it to us at CES, please. Cheers ___!

Verizon Still Offering Half Off Galaxy Nexus Extended Battery Deal, If You Can Find Them

Kellen — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 13:23:02 +0000

One of our readers popped into a Verizon store this afternoon and was able to grab 2100mAh extended Galaxy Nexus battery for the discounted $24.99 price that many of you took advantage of a couple of weeks ago. According to his receipt, it looks like the store did not actually have them in stock, but was able to order them from a VZW warehouse, hence the "FEDEX 2DAY" line on there. These puppies are almost impossible to find an any online retailer, so if you did not have a chance to grab one before the holidays, you may want to call or swing into a store and see if they can order you one from the warehouse. At 50% off, this is a deal you do not want to pass on. Cheers Evan!

Google Goes Panoramic in Latest Galaxy Nexus Ad

Kellen — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 12:22:31 +0000

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=equJOSW_eCM[/youtube]

Panoramic photos are always fun to attempt, especially when you are standing by yourself on the top of a skyscraper with a beautiful cityscape behind you, soothing soundtrack playing and the sun setting in the distance, casting brilliant shadows on your glowing freckles. Wait, you haven't found yourself in that situation either? Google wants you to, with your Galaxy Nexus.

Rumor: Google to Launch 7-inch $199 Android Tablet to Compete with the Kindle Fire

Kellen — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 12:09:47 +0000

After Eric Schmidt was quoted in December as saying that Google would release a tablet within the next 6 months, the tech world has been digging deep with their sources to try and come up with any extra details. Famed rumor-starting extraordinaire DigiTimes has come forward with what they believe to be some of those additional specifics. How does another $199 Android-powered slab sound? According to their sources, that's exactly what Google plans to release in the 7" variety. A time frame for release could be between March and April with the Kindle Fire being their direct competition rather than the iPad. Well, I guess I would be down with another $199 tablet. The more budget-friendly products we see from companies like Google and Amazon, the better chances we have at seeing the end of the $599 on-contract tablet. I'm still wondering if Motorola has sold 3 or 4 total XYBOARDs since release? Anyone taking the under on that? Via: DigiTimes

Horizontal App Switcher for Ice Cream Sandwich [Mod]

Kellen — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 11:22:10 +0000

The built-in app switcher for Ice Cream Sandwich makes jumping between your most recently used apps a breeze and is easily one of our favorite features. In previous versions of Android, you were stuck with 6-10 of your previous apps in a not-so-fashionable box without much control over them other than the ability to tap to initiate. In Android 4.0, not only can you scroll through a list, but you can swipe them away if you no longer want them appearing or to help tidy up your list. It's a massive change, but again, almost everything is in ICS. Well, what if not everyone was as satisfied as we were and actually wanted their app switcher to function horizontally rather than vertically? The developer community for this phone has you covered with this new "webOS" styled switcher that flips your most recently used apps list on its side. You should still be able to swipe them away, only this time it's up or down rather than left or right. Download: webaokp2.zip Instructions:

*So far, this mod only works with the Android Open Kang Project ROM, but brucekey has released the code to it so that others can port it to a variety of ROMs.

1. Download the file above to your phone. 2. Boot into recovery. 3. Make a quick backup, just in case something goes wrong. 4. Then "install zip from sd card" and "choose zip from sd card" to select the file. 5. Flash it, reboot and enjoy. To keep up with this mod, head over to RootzWiki.

Download Touch-Based ClockworkMod Recovery For Samsung Galaxy Nexus (Updated)

Tim — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 10:32:14 +0000

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LOL5im2t3I[/youtube]

The Samsung Galaxy Nexus. Receiving so much love. Feels good, right? The newest feature we are going to boast about is a touch enabled version of ClockworkMod Recovery which is available for the Galaxy Nexus. It is still in ~~Alpha~~ (Beta now), but is completely usable and available for download. Update: Beta 1 has been released. Updated link below. Download: ~~cwm_touch_alpha2_toro.img~~ cwm_touch_beta1_toro.img Installation instructions:

Download .img file.
Place .img file in tools folder of your Android SDK.
Open up a command prompt in your tools folder.
Write out the following commands then hit enter.

adb reboot bootloader fastboot flash recovery cwm_touch_beta1_toro.img

You should now have the newest touch-enabled recovery on your device. If you want to go back to regular ClockworkMod, you can easily do so by flashing it through ROM Manager. Have fun! Via: RootzWiki Cheers Whiteboy7thSt!

Qualcomm To Launch GameCommand App In Android Market January 10

Tim — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 10:00:29 +0000

On opening day of the Consumer Electronic Show (CES), we will do our best to head over to Qualcomm's booth who are launching their GameCommand application into the Android Market. The GameCommand app will be a portal for all Snapdragon users to find the best games available which are enhanced for Qualcomm's pride and joy. The app will contain access to over 100 games for your Snapdragon powered phone or tablet. Along with the app launch, the man who sent Brock Lesnar into retirement this last weekend will be there battling it out with Qualcomm executives in a game of Fight Game Heroes. That man is none other than 6'-5" 265-pound Alistair Overeem. So if you are at CES next week, be sure to stop by their booth for a chance to see the man himself. Full press release down below.

Snapdragon GameCommand to Launch on Android Market at CES 2012

— UFC Fighter Alistair “The Reem” Overreem to be Onsite at Qualcomm’s Booth Showcasing One of the Latest Games Optimized for Snapdragon Devices
SAN DIEGO — January 5, 2012 — Qualcomm Incorporated (NASDAQ: QCOM) today announced that Qualcomm Innovation Center, Inc. (QuIC), a wholly owned subsidiary of Qualcomm Incorporated, is expected to launch the Snapdragon GameCommand^™ application to the Android Market on January 10, 2012, the opening day of the Consumer Electronics Show (CES). At its heart, SnapdragonGameCommand will give mobile users a way to quickly discover, organize and access the latest Snapdragon optimized, featured and exclusive games. It will also provide feeds from top gaming news sites to help consumers stay up to date with the latest gaming news. Snapdragon GameCommand will enable users to easily access and play many of the over 100 Snapdragon^™GamePack featured games on a wide range of mobile phones and tablets. The Snapdragon GamePack includes several titles exclusively available on Snapdragon devices running on Android for a limited time, including “Fight Game Heroes” from Khaeon Gamestudio. “Fight Game Heroes” features head-to-head battles with real MMA fighters, including multiple combat champion and UFC fighter Alistair "The Reem" Overeem. Visitors to CES will have the chance to meet the 6'-5", 265-pound Overeem in-person and watch as he takes on Qualcomm executives in live rounds of “Fight Game Heroes” at the Qualcomm Booth in the LVCC South Hall, Upper Level, Booth #30313. Other exclusive games that are accessible to consumers with Snapdragon GameCommand include titles such as “Bunny Maze 3D” from Eyelead Software and “Desert Winds^™” from Southend Interactive. In “Bunny Maze 3D”, players help the adventurous Bunny get back his stolen carrots, in a cheerful journey through a magical world.In the “Desert Winds” mini-game players take on the persona of princess Amira as she battles gruesome creatures of the desert to save her people. “With mobile gaming proliferating at a blistering pace, apps like Snapdragon GameCommand make it easy for consumers to discover and access the most advanced Snapdragon optimized games,” says Dave Durnil, director of advanced gaming at Qualcomm. “With exclusive and highly-anticipated games like ‘Fight Game Heroes’ and ‘The Reem’ Snapdragon mobile gaming is really starting to heat up.” Snapdragon GameCommand is expected to be available in North America at launch and will be available in other markets at a later date. About Qualcomm Qualcomm Incorporated (NASDAQ: QCOM) is the world leader in 3G and next-generation mobile technologies. For more than 25 years, Qualcomm ideas and inventions have driven the evolution of digital communications, linking people everywhere more closely to information, entertainment and each other. For more information, visit Qualcomm’s website, OnQ blog, Twitter and Facebook pages. About QuIC Qualcomm Innovation Center, Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Qualcomm Incorporated, focused on enabling and optimizing open source software for use with Qualcomm technology. The company is focused on technical innovations to mobile open source software that leverage the unique capabilities of today's mobile devices, with a particular eye to optimizing platforms and the applications that run on them via tight hardware integration.

Swype Finally Figures Out How to Support Ice Cream Sandwich, Update Coming "End-of-Month"

Kellen — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 09:27:39 +0000

Golf clap for the Swype team? By the end of January, they should release their latest beta with "official" support for Ice Cream Sandwich. As you all know though, the developer community had this up and running back on December 22 and has already released a dozen or so themes for it as well. But hey, we all love official stuff.

Via: Twitter

White Galaxy Nexus Headed to the UK in February? Our Render of the Device Found to be Useful

Kellen — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 08:49:50 +0000

According to Clove UK and MobileFun, a white Galaxy Nexus should be available in their shops come February 6. These would be unlocked versions that should run on both T-Mo and AT&T here in the states. The funny thing about that is, the image they are using as the placeholder for the phone is simply the render that one of our readers created back in November. That's right, so when you see the white version of the phone all over the internet today, just know where it came from and that it's not real.

It could easily end up looking just like this, but also, don't be surprised if Google and Samsung keep just the back and sides white like they did with the white Nexus S. I don't know about you guys, but changing the color of the massive 1-piece all-black screen to partially white, just seems like it would ruin that pretty all black, never-ending sort of look we are enjoying today. And to keep this Verizon-related, would you buy a white version should it find its way to the States? Sign me up for day 1. Via: Phandroid

It's 2012 and Motorola Still Hasn't Announced Official Plans to Unlock Any Bootloaders, We Look Back at the Year of Unlocking

Kellen — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 08:21:20 +0000

For those of you that hang out on Twitter or in any of the Android forums, you probably saw a movement that started up within the last couple of days after both Asus and HTC came forward with bootloader unlocking solutions. It's called "Operation: Make Ourselves Heard" or #OPMOSH and is directed at Motorola this time around. While almost every other Android manufacturer has decided to allow at least some sort of bootloader tool for the developer community that supports them to no end, Moto has continued to remain quiet and locked. And even though public outcries were successful with other companies, they have been unsuccessful over the last 2 years when it comes to Moto. With that said, why not start up another campaign now that almost everyone is onboard with the unlockable bootloader situation, other than them. Could there be a better time to make yourselves heard (again)? Probably not. First, let's back up a tad to go through the history of Motorola and their stance on bootloaders:

July 2010: DROID X is released as the first from Motorola in the U.S. with a locked bootloader. Months of work is put in by developers to try and crack it, but they unfortunately come to the conclusion that it will never be unlocked unless Motorola does it themselves.
January 2011: To find the next big point in this whole saga, you have to fast forward a few months to the beginning of this year where a Motorola representative at their Youtube channel essentially told anyone who wants a phone with an unlockable bootloader, to look elsewhere. That was quickly followed by an apology and a rather confusing note on their Facebook page. Motorola was apparently ready to "partner" with developers in hopes of developing a bootloader solution. Nothing ever came of this.
February 2011: The Motorola XOOM is released as a developer device with an unlockable bootloader.
April 2011: Motorola comes forth with another statement, this time offering up a time frame for unlocking. In "late 2011," Moto will look to include unlockable/relockable bootloaders on their devices "where carriers will allow it." Ahh yes, that carrier part is the key here, which we will get into in just a few. On a related note, it's 2012, and not one of their phones or tablets has been given an unlockable bootloader, on any carrier.
June 2011: Motorola speaks with the owner of a site called AusDroid about this whole bootloader situation. AusDroid comes away feeling that Motorola will keep their word and actually quoted them as saying that phones “scheduled to receive updates in the second half of this year” will see an unlockable bootloader. Again, no phone received any sort of update.
June 2011 (again): Someone in the developer community is able to pull a ROM for the Motorola Atrix that unlocks the bootloader. This was not intended to be released to the public, but it spreads like wildfire and almost anyone with the device, now has an unlockable phone. This is essentially the first unlocked Motorola phone in more than a year. The majority of the Motorola community seems to believe that this ROM would eventually become a public release by Moto, we remained skeptical. It never happened, but the damage was done. In the same month, Motorola released the Photon on Sprint with a locked bootloader. To my knowledge, the same ROM that unlocked the Atrix was used to eventually unlock this phone. Again, this is not official from Moto.
July 2011: We ask readers if bootloaders are still important. Almost 70% say they will not buy a phone if it does not have an unlockable bootloader. The DROID 3 is released with a locked bootloader.
August 2011: HTC locks a couple of bootloaders and the developer community freaked on them. Within a few weeks, they had adjusted their stance and announced a bootloader unlocking tool for a variety of phones. You won't find a Verizon HTC phone on the list, leading many to buy into Moto's stance of "where carriers permit it."
September 2011: The DROID Bionic is released with a locked bootloader.
October 2011: We bring up the fact that "late 2011" is approaching and have still not heard a peep out of Motorola. We publicly ask Motorola for feedback, but of course, hear nothing. The DROID RAZR is released later in the month - Moto confirms that it has a locked bootloader. They place all of the blame on the carrier, Verizon.
December 2011: HTC announces that all phones released after September 2011 will have unlockable bootloaders using their tool. They include all of their HTC devices that are on Verizon from the last year. So much for Motorola's insistence on locking being up to the carrier? Verizon also releases the Galaxy Nexus, which has a fully unlockable bootloader.
January 2012: After the Asus Transformer Prime has been in the hands of customers for a couple of weeks, they realize that the bootloader is locked. A social media storm takes place and Asus caves, announcing that it will release an unlocking tool in the near future.
Today: Here we stand almost a year after Motorola announced that it would have some sort of bootloader unlocking solution and we have nothing. Not only that, but we have not heard a peep from them on this subject in months. The developer community has had it after watching company after company come forth with solutions. And that's where this week's #OPMOSH campaign comes into play.

To join in on the #OPMOSH campaign, you can visit this XDA thread. They have petitions, corporate Moto employee emails, Twitter accounts and more for you to hit up if you feel strongly about bootloaders on Motorola phones.

Handful Of Boot Animations Released To Fit On The Galaxy Nexus

Tim — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 16:13:54 +0000

There is a huge amount of development for this phone and we are loving it. The latest goodies are some excellent boot animations that have been readjusted to fit the Galaxy Nexus' humongous screen. Above we have 3 of our favorites that you can flash or replace over your existing boot animation. Along with those above, there are many tantalizing choices, so please head on over to RootzWiki to see the full list. Instructions on installation:

Download .zip and place on your phone's storage.
Reboot into ClockworkMod Recovery.
Locate the folder containing the .zip file.
Install .zip and then reboot. Enjoy!

The developer has stated that the files are all flashable in ClockworkMod Recovery, but non-rooted users will have to use adb in order to push it to their system. Have fun and good luck! Via: RootzWiki Cheers SeaNanners and D. Kover!

Wednesday Poll: What are you hoping to see in 2012 from the world of technology?

Kellen — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 14:56:43 +0000

2011 by all means, was an incredible year for Android and mobile technology. We saw dual-core processors everywhere, two new versions of Android, tablets galore, NFC, 4G LTE, and so much more. But now that we are 4 days into 2012, it's time to start talking about the year ahead and the things you would most like to see. Next week's CES is always a good gauge for how 2012 could unfold, but we have a feeling there will be more than what we see there that will still make waves throughout the year. Are you wanting more tablets? More quad-cores? The next version of Android? More NFC? You tell us. Our poll includes some of the first things that come to our minds, but feel free to leave anything you wish to see in the comments below. [poll id="121"]

The Problem With Patents [Infographic]

Tim — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 13:35:51 +0000

We have watched numerous companies battle it out over untold sums of money because "Company A" accuses "Company B" of ripping off their patent protected works. Our readers have always been vocal that there needs to be some type of reform or a stand down of all these ridiculous lawsuits that keep popping up. The largest names in the tech world such as Apple, Samsung, HTC, Google, Motorola, Microsoft and a ton of others just don't seem to know when to call it quits. The infographic down below tastefully highlights some key points that people suggest as to what makes the current patent system seem so crazy. It's a great read and someone most definitely put time into it. Enjoy.

Via: Android and Me, Frugal Dad

Droid Life's NFL Eliminator Challenge has Come to an End, Two Perfect Entries Separated by a Tiebreaker

Kellen — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 13:07:48 +0000

The NFL's regular season has come to a close, and with that we have a winner for this year's DL NFL Eliminator Challenge that was hosted over at ESPN. Over 1,500 of you attempted to win the grand prize, which was a phone of your choice. Unfortunately, not all of you were able to last the entire 17 weeks - many of which were eliminated back in week 1 (like me). Two players did crush the competition though, choosing correctly for 17 weeks straight and bringing the title shot down to a tiebreaker. Players therealjohnmark and lookingup24 picked the Eagles and Bears respectively in week 17 which were both correct, however, the Eagles put up more points (ESPN's tiebreaker rule) giving the win to therealjohnmark. Nice work, boys. John Mark's prize is a phone of his choice, which he has decided should be the DROID 4. Obviously the phone is not out yet, but he is willing to wait until that time to get his hands on the first truly powerful 4G LTE slider on Verizon. Congrats! Thanks again for playing, everyone!

HTC to Unveil Quad-core Phones at MWC in February, Rather than Next Week at CES?

Kellen — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 12:18:18 +0000

So far, this year's CES (which happens next week) doesn't appear to have the same buzz that we experienced while heading into last year's event. We went into the biggest electronics show in the land knowing that 4G LTE phones were going to be unveiled, that tablets would dominate the show, and that dual-core processors would enter the game in a big way. This year, it's anyone's guess for the most part. One thing we were sort of expecting though, was a set of NVIDIA Tegra 3 quad-core devices (potentially phones, but likely just more tablets) to make their debut. While that may still happen, the latest rumor suggests that HTC will be holding out their quad-core stuff until February's Mobile World Congress (MWC) event. It's tough to tell if their reason for waiting is that their devices in particular are not ready for prime time or because the Tegra 3 still needs some work before it can go into phones. Either way, it's disappointing news if it is true. We would have loved to see HTC and their new stance on bootloaders drop us a quad-core beast. Via: Commercial Times, BGR

SugarSync Releases AutoSync For Videos, The Easiest Way To Get Your Videos Onto Your Computer

Tim — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 11:35:44 +0000

SugarSync is a free service on Android that allows for easy syncing of your files to your computer. Previously, it only handled photos and files, but today, SugarSync has received an update that allows for users to easily sync their videos now as well. No more emailing yourself or taking the time to plug in your phone to a computer. Once you are connected to a WiFi network, the new SugarSync will automatically do the work for you. And if you leave a WiFi area, videos will not sync as to prevent you from crushing your tiered data plan:

Yes, it really is that easy. After you install the app, just take a video using your device’s built-in camera, like you normally would. Behind the scenes, SugarSync will detect the new video and when you have a WiFi connection, will back it up to the Cloud and sync it to your computers in your Mobile Photos folder. It is truly a zero-step process to getting your videos from your Android device to your computers. With videos typically being larger files, we purposefully built AutoSync Videos to respect your data plan and battery. AutoSync Videos will only run when you’re connected to a WiFi network – even if you’ve set AutoSync Photos to be allowed to run on 3G. This helps ensure that AutoSync Videos won’t burn through your data plan.

Does it sound like it might save you some time and stress? At the very least, this is a great way to keep backups of your favorite mobile-shot videos. Market Link

Android Distribution Charts Updated, Ice Cream Sandwich Makes Its Debut

Kellen — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 10:52:19 +0000

At the beginning of each month, the Android team updates the OS version distribution chart to give us a look at which version reigns supreme. This month's is significant because Ice Cream Sandwich (Android 4.0) has made its debut, grabbing a whoppin' 0.6% of the pie. Gingerbread and Froyo make up more than 85% of the chart, while Honeycomb and the dozens of tablets in the wild that have been out for 8+ months now, only managed to grab about 3.3% of it all. So what else can we grab from these numbers? Well, if we do some rough math (completely unofficial of course), we could look at the number of activations per day - which is about 700K - and attempt to come up with number of Galaxy Nexus devices in the wild. Since the phone came out on December 15, we could estimate that around 16.3 million Android devices were activated (20 days total: 3.7 million on the 24th and 25th, plus 700K per day for the other 18 days). If you take 0.3% of that total (G-Nex isn't officially running Android 4.0.3 yet), we come up with about 48,900 newly activated since December 15. That seems low. Update: While my quick and extremely rough math was based on recent numbers, another angle would be taking the estimated total of 200 million Android devices in the wild total and then take 0.3% of that leading to 600,000 total. Probably more accurate. :) (Cheers KillaPenguin!) Obviously that number is completely inexact, especially if we assume that more than 700K activations were happening per day during the holiday week after X-mas (presents, money to spend on phones, etc.). So please, do not take that number as gospel, but we thought we would throw it out there. Thoughts? Via: Android

Google's Android Market Hits The 400K Apps Milestone

Tim — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 09:42:06 +0000

Over the course of this long holiday season, the Android Market reached 400,000+ applications. A mighty impressive number considering its lifespan is that of only 3 years. Thanks to Distimo, there has been plenty of research into the growth of the Android Market and they have made a wonderful chart tracking the rate at which the Market has grown over the last year. According to their research, a huge factor in the Market's growth and success, is the large amount of free applications which reaches a whopping 68%. That is a lot of free apps. The year 2011 has been fantastic for the Market, reaching 200k apps in April and 300k just four months later in August, before topping out at 400k in December. As the number of applications published grows, so has the amount of publishers in general, reaching 100,000 in total with an average of 4.1 apps published per publisher. But, you and I as consumers know that not all of these 400k apps are going to be awesome and I am sure that a good-size amount of these apps are Asian wallpaper apps, or anti-virus junk apps. All joking aside, I think it's safe to say that Android continues to blow away expectations. And with the growing number of excellent app developers heading towards Android, the future is looking bigger and brighter than ever. Via: Distimo

Transformer Prime Root/Unroot Tool Released

Kellen — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 09:20:46 +0000

Ready to root your Transformer Prime? The latest in 1-click tools has been released by @_viperboy_, all built off of the NachoRoot root method created by @TeamAndIRC that we showed on video yesterday. As with any 1-click tool, this will get you rooted or unrooted within a couple of easy clicks on a Windows machine. Grab the tool from this RootzWiki thread and get to rooting.

Simple Galaxy Nexus LTE Root/Unlock and Unroot/Re-Lock Tool Released

Kellen — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 08:05:36 +0000

We tried our hardest to force you into installing the Android SDK and learning some simple adb and fastboot commands in order to unlock and root your Galaxy Nexus, but we know that not all of you have the time to do such a thing. So for those that need a quick option to unlock and root or unroot and re-lock, this is the tool for you. Created by long-standing Android mind WugFresh, this tool will get you all of the SDK files and Samsung drivers needed to begin, followed by options to get you on your way to your first ROM or return you back to stock. It doesn't get any simpler than this. Download: WugFresh's Tool [mirror] Here are WugFresh's instructions for how to use this:

*Windows only. 1. Install the program by double clicking the GnexRootToolkit.sfx.exe

This will extract the contents to %PROGRAMFILES%\GnexRootToolkit

Place shortcuts on your Desktop and Start Menu\Progarms

Launch the program for first use

2. Use the Drivers + SDK option first to install and configure the necessary components to your system 3. Click the "Unlock + Root" or "Unroot + OEM lock" buttons depending on what you want to do

Simply follow onscreen instructions; it should be self explanatory

4. Note that the "Unroot + OEM lock" procedure can also be used to just flash back to stock without re-locking

Simply follow onscreen instructions, and when it gets to the re-locking procedure... just exit the script.

For reference or specifics on what this tool does, you will want to check out our bootloader unlocking instructions along with our instructions on how to return back to stock. After all, Wug did find his inspiration for the tool from our guides. :) Via: Galaxy Nexus Forum

NFL Mobile Updated, Should Work With the Galaxy Nexus (Updated: It's Working)

Kellen — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 16:25:28 +0000

NFL junkies with the Galaxy Nexus have been dying to get their hands on a working NFL Mobile app from Verizon. We were initially expecting it to arrive back on December 22, but our sources told us that the date had been moved to around January 4. Sure enough, an update just popped up in the Android Market for NFL Mobile, bringing with it Ice Cream Sandwich (Android 4.0) support. We are already hearing from folks that it still doesn't work, but remember that you also need the Verizon Login app to get signed into it. If you still can't get it working after installing both, then shame on Big Red. You may also want to uninstall the Login app and reinstall, then run it. Update: Clearly the app is still having issues. Looking forward to the next update! Update 2: The app now works for some (Cheers Manny!):

Market Links: NFL Mobile | Verizon Login

Android's New Holo Theme Should Help Manufacturers Update Phones Faster, is a Requirement for Android Market Access

Kellen — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 16:09:12 +0000

With Ice Cream Sandwich and it's shiny new theme, the Android team has decided that it wants parts of it to remain untouched going forward, even from manufacturer skins. The theme is called "Holo" and can be seen in bits in the images up top. And when we say "remain untouched," we mean that these themes are required if Moto, Samsung and HTC want to keep their access to the most important Google app of all, the Android Market. +1 to that? The Android developers team has released a blog post detailing "Holo" and its requirements:

In Android 4.0, Holo is different. We’ve made the inclusion of the unmodified Holo theme family a compatibility requirement for devices running Android 4.0 and forward. If the device has Android Market it will have the Holo themes as they were originally designed. This standardization goes for all of the public Holo widget styles as well. The Widget.Holo styles will be stable from device to device, safe for use as parent styles for incremental customizations within your app.

This should lead to a more uniform look and feel to Android going forward, something that I think most of us would agree is needed. While manufacturers tend to use their skins to differentiate, this will at least allow you, your mom and brother to all carry different phones, but to still pick up each others and know what the hell is going on. And on a related note, the Android team also has made it clear that their new handling of themed items should allow for manufacturers to updates their devices much faster:

Formally separating these theme families will also make future merges easier for manufacturers updating to a new platform version, helping more devices update more quickly. Google’s Nexus devices alias DeviceDefault to the unmodified Holo themes.

So a more standardized Android look, plus faster updates from OEMs? I'm happy with that. Via: Android Developers

Sharpen Your Pitchforks, Samsung Galaxy S May Not Get "Value Pack" Upgrade Either

Eric — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 15:45:11 +0000

When Samsung came out and announced that no update to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich would be provided to the Galaxy S, the Android community got a little heated. They backtracked a day later and said that they would consider a "value pack" of sorts that would give users something for not getting the bump to ICS. Now, rumors are dashing those hopes as it seems like no upgrade of any kind is on the horizon for the original Galaxy S. A Samsung spokesperson said that the phone likely will not get the upgrade due to the hardware limitations, saying that they are "limited to and fully optimized for Gingerbread."

I can only imagine that this is going to make the situation worse than it was originally with getting hopes up and then coming back with a worse answer than before. The Galaxy S was a huge seller and many people still own the phone in a 2 year contract. Will Samsung really deny this huge swath of customers an update of any kind?

Via: TheNextWeb

NHL Gamecenter Premium is Free for Verizon Customers, Normally $10 for Everyone Else

Kellen — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 15:10:34 +0000

If the Winter Classic isn't the only hockey that you tune into for 5 minutes each year (oh, look at the hockey hate!) then the NHL Gamecenter app is something up your alley. And in even better news, if you are a Verizon customer, you can have access to the $9.99 "premium" version of the app for free simply accessing a video highlight in the free version.

Hey Verizon users, download the Verizon edition of the NHL GameCenter app to receive all of the great features of NHL GameCenter plus access to nationally broadcast NBC games, exclusive video features, and live streaming of NHL Network’s On the Fly. For those users with Verizon 4G LTE Smartphones, Verizon enables you to get NHL GameCenter Premium for FREE! Just download the NHL GameCenter Verizon edition app, click on a video highlight, and you will be automatically upgraded.

In the premium version of Gamecenter, you have access to live streaming of NHL Network's On the Fly, live game radio, in game highlights, and more. There is a $9.99 version of the app in the market - please ignore it. Only download the free version and then watch a highlight to unlock all of the premium content. Market Link

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9YGeboO8Uc[/youtube]

Cheers jaydbee!

DROID 3 and LG Revolution Reaching "End of Life" in January?

Kellen — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 14:30:41 +0000

According to sources over at The Verge, the DROID 3 and LG Revolution have reached the end of the road. Come January, both will hit "End of Life" status and will not see their stock replenished going forward in stores. This comes as a slight shock seeing as the D3 was released only 6 months ago, but then again, we all know that the DROID 4 could be here any day. As far as the Revolution goes, it's in the same boat as the D3, meaning it has a successor already in the works, known as the LG Spectrum. Both were solid devices, but with one not having LTE and the other running 2010-esque specs, neither really stood a chance long term. They will be upstaged by complete devices that have LTE and dual-core processors - "end of life" only seems appropriate. Now, the real story here is whether or not Verizon will unveil both the DROID 4 and Spectrum at CES. If I were a betting man, I'd consider dropping a couple of bucks on that line. Via: The Verge

How to: Change Your Galaxy Nexus Soft Keys to Customized Colors or Versions

Kellen — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 13:50:39 +0000

Many of you noticed the sexy new blue soft keys that my Galaxy Nexus was rockin' and asked for instructions on how to do it. By no means is the process difficult, but it does take a little bit of time the first try. Once you get it down, you can swap out soft keys in minutes and will soon be testing them all to get that perfect fit for your setup. The instructions I pulled from XDA's soft key mod post allows you do this on your device and not have to attach yourself to a computer. There are other sets of instructions for computer-based methods, but this one just seemed the easiest for those of us on the go. Let's get to it!

Instructions:

*Note 1 - To my knowledge, you HAVE to be on a deodexed ROM in order to perform this. This cannot be done on a stock, rooted Nexus. Then again, some in the comments are claiming to have done it, so proceed at your own risk if you aren't running a custom ROM.

Download and install Root Explorer from the Market.

Make a full nandroid backup in recovery, then reboot your phone. (Safety in case something happens)

Download the soft key mod you like from this XDA thread.

Open Root Explorer and navigate to /system/app/, find SystemUI.apk, long press, and select "Extract." Go to the folder sdcard/speedsoftware/extracted and make sure you have a folder that's called SystemUI.

If the folder is there navigate to where you downloaded the chosen softkeymod (usually sdcard/download) and long press it. Select "Extract all." Go to sdcard/speedsoftware/extracted and there should be a folder with the name of the softkeymod you just extracted.

Click on this folder, and also on the next. Hit the menu key and press 'Multi Select'. Highlight all the images included in the folder and select 'Copy' at the bottom. Navigate back to the SystemUI folder, go to SystemUI/res/drawable-xhdpi and 'Paste' here. A command prompt should pop up asking to replace the current images. Select 'Yes For All'.

In some instances, you may also have to move some icons into SystemUI/res/drawable-hdpi as well. You will know if you finish this, reboot and not all of your soft keys are themed.

Go back to the sdcard/speedsoftware/extracted folder, long press the SystemUI folder and select 'Create ZIP'

Rename the created SystemUI.zip to SystemUI.apk and move the SystemUI.apk to your /system/app folder. Change permissions of SystemUI.apk to rw-r--r--

Reboot your Galaxy Nexus (pull battery out and reboot, this is an essential step) and your softkeys will be modded!

*Note 2 - During step 9, if you start to see your phone force close before you can change permissions, do not freak out. I was able to battery pull, reboot, and then head back into Root Explorer to adjust permissions. Also, since we created a backup at the beginning, we can always jump back into recovery and revert back to 5 minutes prior if we would like. Here are a couple of screenshots to help you with the process:

You can find a variety of soft key mods at this XDA thread. *Note 3 - For those asking about the text icons I have for Gmail, Gtalk, Phone and Camera, you can download them here. They are simple text icons that I made using Roboto font and a 200x200 transparent background. In order to use custom icons, you need to switch to a launcher that allows for them such as Nova Launcher.

Transformer Prime Stocked Online At Office Depot, Orders Shipping Out Now

Tim — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 13:10:16 +0000

If you have been looking to get your hands on the tablet that we just can't seem to stop talking about, then head on over to Office Depot's online store and purchase yourself an Asus Transformer Prime. Our buddy Mark has already bought 3, so if they are not already sold out, then you will be able to snatch one up for just $499.99. As we have seen already today the Prime is rootable, soon-to-be unlockable, and is the world's first quad-core Android tablet. What more could you ask for? Buy Online. Cheers Mark!

Newest Swype Beta Released in a Variety of Colors, Multiple Phones Supported Including Galaxy Nexus

Tim — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 12:31:12 +0000

We here at DL love ourselves some Swype. But you know what we love even more? Themed Swype. So, when we stumbled upon this treasure chest of different themes we just couldn't resist sharing it. For those who have troubles choosing which colors they want, don't fret. There are enough choices to have a new color every day of the week. But, there are a few different versions available so make sure you install the right ones. Depending on which phone you have, will determine which version you need. If you are a G-Nex owner, make sure to download the apk's from the G-Nex section on the bottom. Update: Well, the amount of traffic we sent over has crashed their site. Cheers, DL community! You can grab all the themes here for now. Thanks for the mirror! We can't host the apk's ourselves, so head on over to JBThemes for the full list and download links. No root required. Via: JBThemes Cheers Green Orange!

Asus Transformer Prime has been Rooted.

Kellen — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 11:48:18 +0000

The Transformer Prime has been rooted thanks to @TeamAndIRC with their soon-to-be-released NachoRoot tool. Not much else to say about that other than a release of the tool has not happened at this time. Sir Justin Case may be holding onto it until Ice Cream Sandwich is released next week on January 12, to make sure the exploit is not patched.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wx65Qk6vJ-M[/youtube]

Via: @_viperboy_

With The Bootloader Unlocked, HTC Rezound Now Receiving First Batch Of Custom ROM Goodness

Tim — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 11:22:50 +0000

Now that HTC has unlocked the Rezound's bootloader, you can be sure that we are going to see a huge influx of developer support for this beastly device. It's only been a few days and we can already find a few ROMs that will definitely interest Rezound owners, including ones that will take away HTC's Sense skin completely, remove the Verizon bloatware, and plenty of other great tweaks. We have been able to locate a handful of flashable ROMs over at RootzWiki - you can see the entire list here. Cheers Franky J!

Stuck with a Tiered Data Plan on Verizon? This Trick May Get You Unlimited Data (Updated)

Kellen — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 11:17:17 +0000

Verizon's tiered data was born in the middle of this last summer, leaving new customers and new lines without the unlimited wonders that many of us long-time customers continue to enjoy. There may be a workaround to get you upgraded though. We had heard about this from a source a couple of months back for 4G customers stuck on tiers, but truthfully, ignored it because it seemed like a temporary bug that was on the verge of being fixed. According to Slickdeals, the bug still remains and those of you stuck on tiered data can upgrade today to unlimited using a little trickery. Assuming Verizon hasn't already caught on and fixed the situation that is, which they may already have. Update: The Consumerist is reporting that VZW's audit team is calling customers who took advantage of this loop hole to let them know that their accounts have been reverted back to tiered data. Bleh.

Instructions:

Dial *611 from your Verizon phone, or 1-800-922-0204 from any phone.

Wait for computer CSR to go through the main menu. You will need your Verizon phone # and account PIN or last 4 of SSN.

Hit option 4.

When it asks you what you would like to do today say "Add a feature." You will be transferred to a live Verizon Customer Service representative.

If you have a 3G device (which includes all iPhones): Say you would like to add the $20 2GB 3G Mobile Hotspot FEATURE to your phone. When you add this MHS feature, you will be charged $20/month in addition to the $29.99 unlimited data plan.If you have a 4G device: Say you would like to add the $30 Unlimited 4G Mobile Hotspot FEATURE to your phone. According tohttp://stopthecap.com/2011/07/12/...r-account/ , they may be able to locate this feature via referencing feature code #76153. When you add this MHS feature, you will be charged $30/month in addition to the $29.99 unlimited data plan.

After one of the MHS features above are added to your account, you will now have the $29.99 unlimited data plan, which can be verified via the My Verizon app on your device or at http://www.verizonwireless.com/myverizon

{OPTIONAL - if you don't want the Mobile Hotspot feature} Log into My Verizon and remove the Mobile Hotspot FEATURE from your account. It is recommended to wait at least a day to remove the feature. The $29.99 unlimited data plan should remain on your account.

If they say they can't add that feature to your plan, or that you must bundle your data + mobile hotspot service together as a single data plan, tell them thank you, hang up, and repeat the steps above.

Let us know if you have success. At least one reader just went through the process and came out a winner. Via: Lifehacker, Slickdeals Cheers Dan S!

Galaxy Nexus Receives 4G LTE Toggle Treatment Thanks to BAMF

Tim — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 10:35:55 +0000

From the same developer who made the standalone 4G LTE toggle for the HTC Thunderbolt, comes a toggle widget that should work for the Galaxy Nexus as well. Root is required and we have found that it works best on most of the custom ROMs that have been released for users. We were unable to get this working on a completely stock rooted G-Nex. Instructions for installation:

Download zip to your phone.
Boot into a custom recovery such as ClockworkMod.
Choose "install zip from sdcard" then "choose zip" and find the LTE toggle file.
Once your find it, install it and reboot.
You should find it listed as an available widget to add.
Enjoy!

If you run into any troubles let us know down below and we can try to help you out. Via: Team BAMF Forums Cheers Alex!

How to: Flash Your First Custom ROM on the Galaxy Nexus

Kellen — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 09:56:26 +0000

We had held off for the most part on walking you through the flashing of a custom ROM for your Galaxy Nexus until there were a number of options out there that were stable. I think it's safe to say that there are more than a "number" that are well worth your time at this point. We have highlighted a few in the past, all of which have made incredible progress in just a short amount of time. So to get you into your first ROM (if you haven't flashed one already), we have the step-by-step guide below to get you living the Nexus dream.

Instructions:

1. Unlock the bootloader of your phone. [Instructions] 2. Root your phone, flash a custom recovery and make your first backup. [Instructions] 3. Before we get into all of this, you may want to backup all of your apps and user data.

*When flashing a ROM, you almost always have to perform a factory reset (wipe data) which clears your phone of all personal apps and settings. A tool like Titanium Backup from the market can back all of these up for you to be restored after flashing a ROM. This is a must-have app for frequent ROM flyers.

4. Find a ROM that meets your needs. A couple of ideas here and here. [More]

*I personally chose the CM9 kang because it included the 4G LTE notification bar toggle we posted over the weekend. So far, it appears to be fully functional.

4. Download that ROM to your phone along with the "Gapps" that are listed near it.

*"Gapps" are your core Google apps like Gmail, Calendar, etc.

5. Once they have finished downloading, you need to boot into recovery (easiest way through ROM Manager).

*If you did not flash a "permanent recovery" you will need to open ROM Manager and flash Clockwork Recovery before rebooting into recovery.

6. If you did not create a first backup in step 2, do so now before flashing your first ROM.

*Using volume keys, scroll down to "backup and restore" and select it with the Power switch. Then select "backup" and allow your phone to create a backup.

7. Once your backup finishes, scroll down to "wipe data/factory reset."

*This will wipe your phone completely clean. Hopefully you backed up your apps and data in step 3.

8. From here, you will want to read specific instructions that the ROM developer has given.

*Some ROMs require you to wipe specific caches or wipe data twice. Do as they tell you.

9. Time to flash the ROM. Scroll to "install zip from sdcard." 10. Select "choose zip from sdcard" and find your ROM. 11. If you downloaded the file to your phone directly, it should be in your "Download" folder. 12. Once you have navigated to where your ROM of choice was downloaded to, select it. Then say "Yes." 13. Your phone will now flash your first custom ROM. 14. When it finishes, "Go back" to the main menu. It's time to flash our "Gapps" package. 15. Head back into "install zip from sdcard" and "choose zip from sdcard." 16. Likely in the same place as your ROM, you will find your Gapps file. Select it and flash it just like the ROM. 17. Once that finishes, back out to the main menu and reboot the system. 18. The first boot can take a while depending on the ROM. Just be patient and let it boot all the way. 19. Once it finishes, enjoy your new ROM. 20. You may want to download Titanium Backup immediately and start restoring all of your apps and data. Any questions? To find out even more about this device, check out our Complete Guide to the Galaxy Nexus.

Asus Taiwan Says Bootloader Unlock Tool is Coming, Ice Cream Sandwich Available January 12 (Updated: US Asus Confirms)

Kellen — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 08:47:27 +0000

While we sit here tapping our fingers in anticipation of an official Transformer Prime bootloader statement from Asus U.S.A., we may have an idea as to what they plan to say thanks to their Taiwan Facebook page. Thanks to a translation by Bing (hah!), we come away with the understanding that Asus will create and release some sort of bootloader unlocking tool or "procedure" to give "professional-grade players more freedom and openness" on their device. Basically what they are saying, is that users who wish to take full advantage of their quad-core tablet, will be able to do just that. Here is the statement:

Cause you inconvenience, sorry! And bootloader function of blockade, main due to is many media service publishers requirements security protection of mechanism to protection digital content (DRM digital copyright management); also, has in view of past first generation deformation flat experience, user itself cracked (Root) machine Hou, may led machine damaged even cannot using, therefore ASUS in extreme deformation offset above plus has bootloader of encryption protection, to support digital content of audio leased function and while protection machine stability. But at the same time, ASUS also heard from many users still want to be able to increase permissions, unlocked bootloader demand therefore Asus is also being actively developed as soon as possible-only unlock procedure, subject to the procedures developed will release to provide professional-grade players more freedom and openness of the platform, enjoy the ultimate experience of lithography extreme deformation. (Use unlocking program unlock bootloader after protection, part of the digital audio/visual rental service will be unable to use, the machines are no longer protected by bootloader, users consent to give up the original warranty, asking the user to pay special attention to this effect) thank user support, and happy happy new year

I just find it so silly that it takes a social media mob and a dozen blog posts to get this to happen in the first place. Asus is making this sound like they had no idea that advanced users wanted to have more freedom with their device, yet, this was one of the driving forces behind the success of their original Transformer. And do they not read the news? We have only covered the fact that "advanced" users want more control during episodes of Bootloader-gate with HTC and Motorola for a couple of years now. And in even better news, here is their statement on the upgrade to Ice Cream Sandwich. The update could be available as early as January 12:

And the public expect Android 4 ice cream sandwich (Ice Cream Sandwich) operating system, is scheduled for January 12 onwards also offer upgrade services worldwide.

Feeling slightly better about this device now? Hopefully the U.S. statement includes some sort of time frame that we can look forward to on the bootloader front. Update: The U.S. Asus Facebook page confirmed this statement from their Taiwan counterpart. Here is their statement on the bootloader:

Regarding the bootloader, the reason we chose to lock it is due to content providers' requirement for DRM client devices to be as secure as possible. ASUS supports Google DRM in order to provide users with a high quality video rental experience. Also, based on our experience, users who choose to root their devices risk breaking the system completely. However, we know there is demand in the modding community to have an unlocked bootloader. Therefore, ASUS is developing an unlock tool for that community. Please do note that if you choose to unlock your device, the ASUS warranty will be void, and Google video rental will also be unavailable because the device will be no longer protected by security mechanism.

And on Android 4.0 becoming available on January 12:

ASUS has been working hard to make the highly anticipated Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich available on the Transformer Prime, and today, we have good news for you. Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich FOTA worldwide update for the Transformer Prime will start from Jan 12th, 2012. Thank you for your patience and support through this process.

They also did not make the Prime to be a professional grade navigation device, hence the reason it has some pretty serious GPS issues:

The ASUS Transformer Prime is made from a metallic unibody design, so the material may affect the performance of the GPS when receiving signals from satellites. Please note that this product is not a professional GPS device, and signal performance can be easily influenced by factors including, but not limited to: weather, buildings, and surrounding environments. Please understand there are limitations when using the GPS function. To avoid inconveniencing users who demand a powerful GPS device, we made the decision to remove it from our specification sheet and marketing communications. We apologize for any inconvenience this has caused.

Considered this settled. Via: Asus Taiwan Cheers Chris and Remington Bob!

Browser Plus is Like an Advanced Ice Cream Sandwich Browser with More Quick Controls, No Root Required

Kellen — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 08:21:34 +0000

One of the best features in the browser of Ice Cream Sandwich is easily the "Quick controls" that can be toggled on or off in Settings>Labs. If you haven't been using these, trust me when I say that you are missing out. Browsing has never been so, well, quick with these enabled. The only issue that I can even come up with for them, has been the lack of options like a forward or back button, the ability to instantly add a new browser window or even bookmark a site. It looks like I wasn't the only one that was in need of these options though, as a new release on the market called Browser Plus brings all of them to any Android 4.0.1+ device. And better yet, you don't even need to be rooted. Market Link | More Info After installing on your phone, you still need to enable quick controls and the extra set of options. You can do that by visiting Settings>Labs. Cheers Stigy!

Asus U.S. Prepares Statement on Bootloader-gate 2012, Asus Italy Tells Us Why It's Locked?

Kellen — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 08:04:03 +0000

The outcry over the Transformer Prime and its locked bootloader was clearly heard by Asus this weekend. On their U.S. Facebook page they have released a brief statement, which basically just tells you all to "relax" while they prepare an official statement with details or reasons as to why they have made this unfortunate move. Yeah, that's comforting...or not so much. And we say that it's not so comforting because Asus' Italian page has gone ahead and dropped a statement of their own that actually does go into a bit of detail on their reasoning behind locking up their new quad-core tablet. Here it is (translated by Google):

We see that there was a bit 'choppy sea of questions about some "hot". We talk about issues with Prime. It is called the root block. About First it should be noted that the product is not yet available on our territory. So the problems that some (we want to emphasize) users have complained will not affect the units deployed overseas on our territory. Battery life is line with what was promised. Obviously, this parameter depends strongly on the conditions of use and maximum range is always referred to use "light" with all the energy saving features active. On the GPS is wrong to compare a product like Prime to a smartphone. First, because smartphones using 3G connectivity to download the table with the position of the satellites and then more quickly identify the satellites. What you can do even Prime WiFi, but only when it is connected. Secondly, because Prime does not come as Car Navigator, nor do we imagine that users will use it while walking the streets of the city, looking for a street or a shop. For those things are just smartphones. Finally speech root: our position in this regard is simple. The product is guaranteed as it is. Different firmware altering the basic functionality of the product or push the hardware beyond the standard frequencies will void your warranty and may threaten the reliability and proper functioning of the product itself. Basically to respond to some posts on the bulletin board: we do not delete the "post uncomfortable" because we do not have anything to hide. Delete spam, misinformation and the news is not official. Keep them on the bulletin board would be to confirm their content. But it is not. It is incorrect that a user who attends board ASUS Italy will find us to be informed instead of misinformation. We hope with this post that I made clear the misunderstanding. The staff ASUS Italy

So that's pretty much what every company that locks bootloaders has to say. They want their product to be used as they designed and do not want you putting custom software on it. Not only does an unlockable bootloader allow you to put on custom software, but it also kills the warranty of your device. Mmmhmmm. Hopefully the U.S. Asus team has something more appealing for us to read later today. Via: Facebook, Facebook Italia Cheers Heath and Matt!

Koush Releases ClockworkMod USB Tethering Application For Mac, Linux, and PC Users - No Root Required

Tim — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 13:00:30 +0000

Have our rooted users been taking advantage of the WiFi tether ability that our phones are capable of? Are you non-rooted and wishing you could have 4G LTE speeds on your PC without having to go through the trouble of rooting and the risks associated with that? Well our good friend Koush has released ClockworkMod Tether Alpha, which is a USB tether application that you can install on your PC, Mac, or Linux machine which requires no root permissions from your phone. Once you install the program, you simply install the adb drivers for your select device. Then just hook up your phone and hit, "Start." At first, I was having troubles with the program 'seeing' my device, but after closing the program and reopening, everything was great. USB tethered 4G LTE is boss. The program is programmed to stop working on January 7th, so stay updated on the latest versions by following Koush on Google+. Go grab this now and let us know if you have any issues down below. For downloads and tech support, head over to Koush's Google+ page listing for all the info. Via: Google+

Asus To Unveil New 7" Eee Memo Pad At CES Next Week?

Tim — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 12:10:53 +0000

We have been waiting in anticipation to see what goodies will be unveiled at this year's CES in Las Vegas. Well, according to a report from Notebook Italia, we might see Asus announce a brand new 7" Eee Memo Pad equipped with a full dual-core 1.2 GHz Snapdragon processor. The yet-to-be-announced tablet is rumored to also feature 16 to 64 GB flash memory, 3G and WiFi capabilities, and possibly a 3-D experience? Guess we will find out in about a week as to what Asus has in store for the year 2012. DL staff will be in Vegas all week, so we will surely have some hands on with the tablet if possible. Via: Notebook Italia

Motorola Prepping Update for the XOOM "Google Experience Device" - Is That a Hint at Ice Cream Sandwich?

Kellen — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 11:27:35 +0000

Motorola XOOM WiFi owners, something potentially very interesting is on the horizon. A new "project" is in the works from Moto, and they are asking for participants who have the "Google Experience" version of the WiFi-only model. What exactly does that mean? Since the XOOM was released as the first with stock Honeycomb, as a "developer" device and also as one that receives updates directly from Google, that means it gets to carry the "experience" tag. The good news for "experience" devices, is that they tend to see updates before anyone else in their segment. Just ask the Nexus S. Now, never in the past have we seen Moto call out for "Google Experience" versions specifically which has made this one in particular grab our attention. Could this be the update to Ice Cream Sandwich? It's possible. The folks at NVIDIA were able to boot up Android 4.0 on their Transformer Prime and it's not even an "experience" device. The move from Honeycomb to ICS should not be that difficult, especially when you are talking about a stock device like the WiFi XOOM. Here is the email invite that Motorola is sending out:

Hi, Thanks for joining the Motorola Feedback Network. We are preparing a project for owners of the "Google Experience Device" version of the WiFi-only Motorola Xoom. (This is the U.S. version only.) If you own this particular model, we would like to invite you to participate. Click this link to take a short enrollment survey for this project. Please note that you must be a member in good standing of the Motorola Owners' Forums to take part. We have recently moved our forums communities to a new site, and YOU MUST RE-REGISTER to be considered a member. Please visit our new site and complete your registration update if you have not done so already. Be sure to fill out the MFN opt-in information on the new site. This is a confidential project under the terms of the Motorola Feedback Network. Do not post any details or information about this project on any public sites. Thanks -- please understand that project start times are always fluid. We ask for your patience if you register but don't hear from us right away. - Matt Motorola Owners' Forums Motorola Feedback Network

What are we looking at as far as a time frame goes? It could be a month or 2 still before the public sees anything. These "projects" are for testing purposes for the most part. If there are no issues during testing phases, then the updates are prepared for mass consumption. Then again, this could just be another bug fixer. Cheers J and cssc!

Today Only, Buy Gameloft's Modern Combat 3 From The Android Market For Just $0.99

Tim — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 10:40:52 +0000

Back when we first heard Gameloft was listing all of their games for just 99 cents through the New Years, everyone got a little excited. But at the time of the announcement, Gameloft did state that their newest title, Modern Combat 3 would only be available for one day at the marked down price. Well today is the day, so if you have been meaning to check this game out then do so now. It features an extensive list of missions for single player and of course, the fun never has to stop with the ability to use the multi-player feature to "pwn newbz" from all across the world. Definitely worth the buck. Market Link [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdF0EvDwH-Y[/youtube]

Transformer Prime Bootloader is Locked, Asus' Social Networks Mobbed

Kellen — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 09:50:38 +0000

Yesterday not only marked the beginning of 2012, but it also marked the beginning of a new campaign by the Transformer Prime community against Asus. And why would they do that to the darling Android tablet maker of the world? Because they went ahead and locked the bootloader on the damn thing. So "Operation unlock bootloader social network attack Asus" (that's seriously what they are calling it) has begun. If you own a Transformer Prime, feel free to join in on the party. The goal is pretty clear - create enough of a stir to get Asus to rethink their bootloader stance and unlock the world's first quad-core processor. Not only that, but I'm not sure that the device has even been rooted yet. And of course, the GPS issues that it is experiencing are enough of a problem on their own to get a social network attack started. Any chance we see the quick turn-around that accompanied Verizon's $2 fee? Probably not since there is software involved, but hey, let's remain positive. Quick, someone please call up HTC for support. Instructions on how to join the Prime "Mob" can be found at the source link below. Via: XDA Cheers Tony and David!

Asus Transformer Prime Receives Minor Update to 8.8.3.33, Camera Enhancements Included (Updated)

Kellen — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 09:14:16 +0000

The Asus Transformer Prime is receiving an update this morning and from all we can tell, includes camera fixes or enhancements of some sort. While updating our unit, we noticed in the notification panel a mention of both a "Firmware" and "Camera Firmware" update. It's tough to tell if their are any new features, so we will assume that it simply added to the stability and performance of photo snapping.

Update: Here is the changelog for the update courtesy of XDA:

Cheers Timothy!

Video: 4G LTE Toggle Potentially Headed to CM9 and the Galaxy Nexus

Kellen — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 12:18:59 +0000

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKqIltVFwT0[/youtube] If there was one feature that you wish you had on the Galaxy Nexus right now, what would it be? For me, it's probably an LTE toggle that doesn't force me into the settings menu. I'm talking a toggle that actually toggles with a single press. Well folks, we may have one in CyanogenMod9. As you can see in the video up top, @gsarrica is working on adding it to CM9's list of toggles that can be added to the notification pull down. And I must say, that it appears to be working quite well. Approval is still needed from the CM team though, but there is a pretty good chance that it will get that. There is also a chance that this could work for other LTE devices. Cheers @gsarrica!

DROID 4 Accessories Arrive at Indirect Verizon Retailers

Kellen — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 10:45:08 +0000

While we think we know just about every single DROID 4 (full recap) detail, a release date has continued to avoid us. An early target date showed December 22 (clearly that didn't happen) with the most recent showing some time in February. We have seen it in Best Buy ads, on droiddoes.com, as a dummy unit, in training materials, in official press shots, and even the accessory lineup that will accompany it at launch. Any normal person would guess that it could launch any day now. Well, you can add "accessories in stores" to the list of D4 details that suggest an imminent release. Except, we don't really believe that the release is imminent, do we? Are we expecting this to be Motorola's CES device since nothing else has leaked? Surely they couldn't hang out in a giant booth at the year's biggest electronics show with nothing new to show but a couple of XYBOARDs, could they?

Cheers ___ and ___!

How is Your 4G LTE Connection Doing Today?

Kellen — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 16:21:42 +0000

While my 4G and 3G connection seem to be operating normally today in Portland, we have had enough emails and mentions on Twitter from readers that are not having such a fun time to toss up another potential LTE outage post. We are getting reports out of Detroit, Indiana, Florida, Wisconsin, and more that have had issues for a number of hours today. Issues vary from readers have no connection at all to seeing their connection cut in and out sporadically. So we'll ask just as we always do - running into 4G or 3G connection issues? If you are, feel free to drop your city and state in the comments. With Verizon claiming to have (or in the near future) implemented a geographic segmentation fix, we could potentially narrow this down by region that is affected. Also, it's safe to assume that VZW is currently (as in this very minute) testing, tweaking and working on a number of fixes to prevent major outages from happening again. These issues that some of you are running into today, could just be from Big Red working to stabilize everything. At this time, we do not have enough reports to consider this a full nationwide outage.

DROID 4 Dummy Unit Poses for the Camera

Kellen — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 15:23:57 +0000

Has the DROID 4 been pushed back to February from a late December launch? We will likely never know, but what we are sure of, is that the droiddoes.com landing page for it is almost 100% complete, that training materials for the device were released a month or so ago, and that demo (dummy) units are now floating around the back halls of tech blogs. The folks over at TechnoBuffalo spent some quality time with a non-functional until, taking a handful of multi-angle shots for your viewing pleasure. You get thickness, how it compares to the iPhone, and another look at its new edge-lit keyboard. As you can see, it looks just like the functional unit we first posted for you back in October.

To see how the dummy unit compares to the real deal, be sure to check out these pictures. Via: TechnoBuffalo

Breaking: Verizon Cancels $2 Convenience Fee for Online and Telephone Single Payments

Kellen — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 12:31:10 +0000

In somewhat shocking fashion, Verizon has announced that they will not institute their single payment $2 convenience fee that we first reported on just 2 days ago. Here is the statement that just came across the wire:

Verizon Wireless Will Not Institute Single Payment Fee
December 30, 2011 Verizon Wireless has decided it will not institute the fee for online or telephone single payments that was announced earlier this week. The company made the decision in response to customer feedback about the plan, which was designed to improve the efficiency of those transactions. The company continues to encourage customers to take advantage of the numerous simple and convenient payment methods it provides. “At Verizon, we take great care to listen to our customers. Based on their input, we believe the best path forward is to encourage customers to take advantage of the best and most efficient options, eliminating the need to institute the fee at this time,” said Dan Mead, president and chief executive officer of Verizon Wireless.

+1 to Verizon for listening to their customers, and +1 to all of you for speaking your minds.

FCC is "Concerned" About Verizon's New Convenience Fee, Will "Look Into" it

Kellen — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 11:47:43 +0000

After we first reported news that Verizon had plans to push forward with a $2 "convenience fee" on January 15 for customers who normally make one-time bill payments, the backlash could be heard from all corners of the country. Thanks to your strong opinions, the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) has decided to at least look into the matter. Here is their brief statement from today:

On behalf of American consumers, we’re concerned about Verizon’s actions and are looking into the matter.

By no means does this assure us that they will try to stop Verizon from charging you the $2 convenience fee. It does however give us a little bit of hope. Again, there are options available for customers to avoid the fee, but as you will see from yesterday's poll, the majority of folks would like to continue paying their bill as a one time transaction. And so you are aware, a Change.org petition has been started. Via: NY Times

Verizon Holding $50 Off 4G LTE Tablet Sale Until December 31

Kellen — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 11:00:20 +0000

If an on-contract 4G LTE tablet is in your future, purchasing one within the next couple of days will save you $50 through Verizon. All of the new DROID XYBOARD tablets along with the Galaxy Tab 10.1 series can be had at a discounted price through tomorrow 12/31. And I specifically said "on-contract" because that's the only department you will see the discount in - nothing droppin' from the full retail unfortunately. Buy.

Verizon Needs Google [Opinion]

Ron — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 10:00:26 +0000

Think back to January 5th, 2010. That was the date that the Nexus One was first announced and made available for purchase. I can vividly remember the announcement. I impatiently waited for someone to review the device, but the images I saw already confirmed my suspicions: this was going to be an incredible device. Even though it wasn't on Verizon yet, I had plans to upgrade to it as soon as possible. This vision of the Nexus One was a phone sold directly by Google to consumers. There was no store to try the device out. You went to google.com/phone to purchase the phone. If you had T-Mobile you could buy the phone unlocked for $529 or $179 on a new two year contract. Eventually a version of the Nexus One with AT&T bands was released in March. By April it was announced that the Nexus One would never be released on Verizon and that customers should buy the Droid Incredible instead. I was crushed, but I moved on (and eventually did get a Droid Incredible, which now sits on my desk running CM7). Now think back to December 16th, 2010 when the Nexus S was released. There were no announcements of additional carriers until March 21st, when Google announced that the Nexus S would be available on Sprint with WiMax. On July 21st it was announced that the Nexus S would be available on AT&T for $99 on contract. With a Sprint version I was especially hopeful that Verizon would finally have a Nexus device, but alas, Verizon never released the Nexus S. In the time between the Nexus One and the Nexus S Google learned a lot about selling phones. First, they learned that having email support is not enough. The Nexus One was plagued with radio issues early on and customers were upset that their only option was to email Google or post on a message board for help. With the Nexus S, Google worked closely with the carriers to ensure that they would help support the devices. While AT&T and T-Mobile didn't carry the device in stores, Best Buy had both versions in stores as well as the Sprint version when it was released. This year the Galaxy Nexus was released a day earlier than the Nexus S. As you know, the phone was released exclusively on Verizon Wireless after much delay. All evidence points to the fact that the Galaxy Nexus was ready to launch by the end of November, but Verizon waited to give the Rezoud and the RAZR more time to sell. To make matters worse, the Galaxy Nexus is the first Nexus device to have a carrier's software preinstalled. Speaking of software, the Galaxy Nexus doesn't have Google Wallet installed on it. Sure, it can be side-loaded, but it's just more evidence that Google is not in control of this device. Unlike every other Nexus, the Galaxy Nexus does not have Google branding on the back; instead Verizon's logo rests above their 4G LTE logo. If there was any doubt about whether or not this was Google's phone, that should put the debate to rest. Google's original vision of the Nexus program has changed dramatically over the last two years, and I don't think it has been for the better. Google has slowly gotten in bed with the carriers, which has led to the worst Nexus we've seen yet. Sure, it has the latest version of Android (which is fantastic) and it's on my carrier of choice (finally!), but at what cost? The original vision entailed releasing a device free from the carriers that people could buy subsidized or unsubsidized with the latest version of Android and the first crack at new updates. Instead of using their power to push carriers like Verizon to do no evil, Google has gotten into bed with Verizon, allowing them to further distort their original Nexus vision. It may be said that it's impossible to get on a carrier's network without making concessions, but apparently Apple was able to pull it off. If Apple can do it, Google definitely can. Google has tons of money - why not spend it to ensure the largest carrier in the U.S. has a real Nexus device, not some Verizon branded step-child of a Nexus? Google needs the carriers for support right now, I get that, but when their acquisition of Motorola is complete they'll have a staff that is trained to support users with their devices. By then they'll also have a few billion more dollars in search revenue that they can use to throw at the carriers to ensure that their device isn't touched. Verizon has way too much control right now. A Nexus should never be controlled by a carrier. A Nexus is supposed to be the best from Google, not the best that Verizon will allow on their network. Google has challenged the music industry with Google Music. They challenged Microsoft Office with Google Docs and Gmail. They challenged Apple's iPhone with Android. They challenged netbook manufacturers with Chromebooks. They challenged the movie industry with YouTube. Why isn't Google challenging the carriers? They have the power to do so, but they're holding back. They should have the Nexus in 5 colors on every carrier right now, but instead they have a tainted Nexus on the greediest carrier in the world. Something is wrong with this picture. We obviously don't have all the details, but something needs to change. Google needs to step up to the carriers and take control of their device. If Verizon doesn't want to play nice, Google can start rejecting any Android device with Google Apps that wants to run on Verizon's network. Verizon needs Android to be relevant, not the other way around.

Verizon Issues Statement on Their 4G LTE Outages, Taking Number of Steps to Ensure the "Integrity" of the Network Going Forward

Kellen — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 08:51:10 +0000

After 3 major 4G LTE outages in the last month, Verizon has finally released a statement detailing the situation (and no, it wasn't a half-baked Tweet) and what their plans are going forward. According to this release, each incident that occurred was different from a "technical standpoint" and has not re-occurred thanks to their engineering team. While Big Red is estimating that their LTE network has had approximately 99% up time for the year, they have admitted that as a "pioneer" in the LTE market, that there are growing pains and that they are doing everything in their power to rectify them. So what exactly happened though? We don't know specifics, but we do now have somewhat of an idea as to how Verizon plans to move forward so that these massive nationwide outages do not happen again. The two biggest things are "geographic segmentation" which will allow them to isolate issues and correct them before they become widespread, and also fix backend software that will provide better performance and reliability. Update: GigaOM had a chance to speak with Mike Haberman, Verizon's VP of network engineering, who was willing to provide some of the technical details. The first outage back in April was due to an IMS (IP Multimedia Subsystem) core software bug that "led to a complete failure." The December 7 outage was due to a failure of a back-up communications database. The outages from the last two weeks were the result of IMS elements not communicating correctly. These bugs were not something that could have been predicted and simply decided to show themselves in the span of a few weeks here in December. I think the big key here, is to remember that this LTE network is still brand spankin' new and will have issues. There may be more next week or we could get lucky and not see one for another year. Just know that Verizon will have an extra $2 per person starting January 15 to help pay for the corrections (Hah! Sorry, one last cheap shot before the end of the year just felt necessary). :) The full statement from Verizon is after the break.

Statement From Verizon Wireless on 4GLTE Network
12/29/2011 In light of recent events, Verizon Wireless shared the following statement about its 4GLTE Network: The Verizon Wireless 4GLTE Network is BY FAR the largest and the most advanced 4GLTE wireless network in the world. It is available in 190 US markets and covers more than 200 million people, providing the fastest 4G Network in the US. Being a pioneer comes with growing pains. The recent issues that affected our customers’ 4GLTE service were unforeseen despite careful, diligent planning, deployment and ongoing upgrade programs. Problems customers experienced affected connectivity to the 4GLTE Network and data service. Several times, we have proactively “moved” 4GLTE customers onto our 3G Network to ensure all would have a data connection. For brief periods, such as on Wednesday (12/28), 4GLTE customers could not connect to the 3G Network as quickly as we would have liked. Nonetheless, we estimate that 4GLTE connectivity has been available approximately 99 percent of the time this year. Why have these issues occurred with our 4GLTE Network? Each incident has been different from a technical standpoint. Our engineers have successfully diagnosed those past triggering events, and they have not re-occurred. We also work diligently to rectify technical problems in the Network before they affect any customers. Our 3G and 1X Networks continue to reliably process calls, texts and data for customers with 3G devices and, when necessary, 4GLTE devices. It continues to perform at the high level that established it as the nation’s largest and most reliable 3G Network. We are taking a number of steps, working closely with our network suppliers, to ensure the integrity of our 4GLTE Network. We continue to fortify and improve its performance, and our goal is that our 4GLTE Network meets the same high standards that our 3G Network has set for performance and reliability. Among the numerous measures we have taken or will take are: geographic segmentation, which enables us to isolate, contain and rectify network performance issues, and maintain service to the majority of customers when an issue does develop; and software fixes that we have developed, tested and applied regularly – and will continue to do so. Both will improve performance and reliability. And finally, we are learning from these issues and applying the same gold standard to our 4GLTE Network that make our 3G Network the nation’s largest and most reliable. Verizon Wireless is a leader and pioneer in this cutting edge technology that provides very fast wireless data speeds, enabling customers to enjoy the best experience in video and other wireless data usage. Clear unbuffered streaming video, super fast file downloads and wide availability are among the advantages we offer to customers. The capabilities of 4GLTE have exceeded many expectations. We will not rest until our 4GLTE network performs at the very highest levels that our customers have come to expect from us.

Via: Verizon, CNET Cheers Matt and Jigga_Z!

HTC Thunderbolt and Incredible 2 Receive the Bootloader Unlock Treatment From HTCDev.com

Kellen — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 07:56:21 +0000

HTC, after announcing that all of their phones released after September of this year would have unlockable bootloaders, has updated their dev site to reflect that statement. Oh but wait, they went even deeper than that and even included the Thunderbolt and Incredible 2, two devices released long before September. Talk about making a statement to both the developer crowd and other manufacturers in the game. We were led to believe that this was all up to the carriers, but HTC seems to have either found a way around that, doesn't care what the carrier's think, or produced a carrier accepted bootloader unlocking tool that everyone is willing to accept. No matter what, we are loving it. I think all that's left to be said now is, ”Doesn't Motorola owe us an explanation?” A solution? Something? And go get yourself unlocked if you haven't already at HTCDev.com. Cheers to everyone who sent this in!

New DROID Bionic 5.5.893 Fastboot Files Released

Kellen — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 07:35:00 +0000

A huge "thanks" again goes out to daywalker04 who has released another set of fastboot files that a ton of DL community members will benefit from. Just yesterday we saw files for the RAZR, but this time it's the DROID Bionic that gets the love. These are not the first fastboot files we have seen for the Bionic, however, these are built for the newest OTA of 5.5.893 that most of you upgraded to within the last couple of weeks. So going forward, should you soft brick your phone, you will have an easy path to recovery that doesn't include jumping back 2 or 3 OTA updates. Via: XDA Cheers Open1Your1Eyes0!

OG DROID Meets the Galaxy Nexus

Kellen — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 16:31:11 +0000

Thought this was good, fitting, and a way to lighten the mood. Cheers EC8CH!

Words with Friends Updated, Brings In App Purchases For People Who Seek Advantages

Tim — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 16:16:30 +0000

We here at DL have always been supporters of Words with Friends ever since Zynga ported their popular iOS application over to Android. There was a notion that the more good games that came over to the Android side, the better. But to many who play this game, that was never the case. The game has also been seemingly riddled with bugs and other issues that sometimes made the app unusable for people. For others, the app has worked perfectly and could not be any better. Well just a while ago, Zynga introduced the Words with Friends Store. Users now have the option to purchase "tokens" which you can then use for certain features. The main feature being able to disable in-app advertisements. How much will that cost you? Just $3. But what about some other features such as "Tile Pile" and "Word-O-Meter?" There are purchase options that range up to 1000 tokens which run $100. Why you would need to spend that much money on Words with Friends' tokens is beyond us, but you never know. If you feel the need to seriously dish out pain to your friends through WwF, then now is the time to do it. Have at it. Market Link

Apple Files for Face Unlock Patent, Are You Kidding Me? (Updated)

Kellen — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 13:40:35 +0000

According to Apple patent investigator Patently Apple, the Cupertino based king of patent trolling has filed for a new facial unlock detection patent. Seriously, Apple? You don't even have facial recognition technology out to the public yet, but your competitor does and you file for a patent on it? I mean, come on. We get that you hate Android with a passion, however, this just looks pathetic. If you glance over the fancy little stick-figured depiction of this new technology, you will see that it matches up almost perfectly to what the same feature does in Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich). Let's see, it says that the device will look for eyes and a mouth in normal locations, analyze weight differences, and then unlock if it matches up to the one on file. Yeah, that's exactly how Android's face unlock works. Update: According to Engadget, Apple actually filed for this patent back in June before Android had unveiled their Face Unlock and is just now being disclosed to the public. It should also be noted that Google purchased a facial recognition software company around that same time. Tough to tell if that company has any patents for their software or not. Ahh the patent wars - can they be anymore obnoxious? (Cheers Dave!) Update 2: A reader who says that he is a patent attorney has weighed in through the comments. Both of his remarks are worth a read, one of which we have pasted below. You can find them here and here.

I am a patent attorney specializing in computer hardware/software, telecom, mobile computing, etc., as well as a DL fan and reader. i see a lot of confusion about a number of items here so i want to clarify a few points that are clearly being misunderstood: 1. the shift from 'first to invent' to 'first to file' has nothing to do with prior art. no patent will ever be valid if there is publicly available prior art that has made the invention known to the public before the patent filing. The only difference arises in a case where A invented something before B, but B was quicker to file his patent application. Under the 'first to invent' doctrine, if A can prove that he invented first, he will receive the patent even if he filed his patent application later. first to file changes this, whereby it doesn't matter when you came up with the idea - only when you filed the patent application. 2. no one (including apple) can simply get a patent on an 'idea' without (a lot) more. i can't just patent the idea of 'unlocking a phone with face recognition.' in order for a patent to be valid, it must 'enable' the invention. in a nutshell, that means that there must be enough detail for someone else in the same field to be able to read the patent and understand exactly what the invention is, how it works, and how to make it. abstract concepts are not enough - there must be concrete examples,steps,etc., which spell it out (here, likely a series of algorithms).

Bleh.

Via: BGR, Patently Apple

Thursday Poll: How Do You Pay Your Verizon Bill Each Month?

Kellen — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 12:50:35 +0000

The talk of the last day has clearly been the new $2 "convenience fee" that Verizon plans to charge customers who pay their bill each month via credit or debit card over the phone or online starting January 15. While there are plenty of options out there that can get your around this fee, we couldn't help but wonder how the majority of you currently pay your bill each month. Are you paying with a card online or over the phone and are subject to this new charge? Do you use autopay? Anyone using snail mail? Let us know. [poll id="120"]

Standard Galaxy Nexus Battery is Half Off From Verizon, Now Just $19.99

Kellen — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 12:00:30 +0000

Galaxy Nexus accessories are hard to come by these days and are mostly sold out at VZW stores and online. One that is still available though, and at a decent price is the standard battery. Normally $40, you can grab it from Verizon today for just $19.99. With LTE continuing to be a battery hungry animal, you can never go wrong with having a couple of spare batteries sitting around. I will say that the stand alone battery charger that I picked up on launch day is one of my best purchases of the last few months. It's too bad that it is sold out as well. Buy.

CyanogenMod 9 Music Player to Feature Custom Controls and Themes

Tim — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 11:12:48 +0000

Having a new CyanogenMod means there will be a ton of new awesome features available for users. One of the soon-to-be released additions is a completely redone music player. The developer behind the newest player spoke with The Verge and gave some interesting details about the upcoming app. In the application, you will be able to set up shake controls for skipping songs and other settings, swipe gestures, and even a complete theme engine for people to pimp out their player however they see fit. You have to give it up to the CM boys. They got it going on. No word as to when it will be baked into CM officially, but word is that it will also make its way to the Android Market as a stand alone for all you non-root users too. We'll keep you posted. Via: The Verge

Mr. Android 2011 [Infographic]

Kellen — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 10:07:46 +0000

We are always a sucker for a good infographic, so when the folks over at BlueStacks sent us their "Mr. Android 2011" we had to share. This isn't your normal breakdown of Android stats, but is a look at the male species and how it interacts with the Android platform on a daily basis. What color hair they have, where they are located, if it's for work or play, and what kinds of shirts they wear. Enjoy!

Custom CM9 ROMs Becoming More Stable For DROID2 Global and DROIDX

Tim — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 09:39:37 +0000

We have been searching around the Interwebz trying to make sure everyone is able to enjoy Ice Cream Sandwich as much the next person. The underground developers are working hard to bring CyanogenMod 9 to as many devices as possible and the DROID 2 Global is the newest phone on the list. It may not be daily driver stable, but at least we know that Moto's locked hardware is still receiving love from the community. Have any DROIDX owners been enjoying the EncounterICS ROM we posted a week ago? Then make sure you download the newest beta version which has been receiving tons of love from the community. It now has working MMS, but still lacks camera functionality. Threads: DROID 2 Global | DROIDX Cheers Vishnu!

Galaxy Tab 10.1 LTE Easily Rooted Again After Updating to TouchWiz

Kellen — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 09:06:07 +0000

Good news for Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 LTE owners! If you accept the latest 351MB update that includes TouchWiz, you can root it with the exact same root patch that you applied after initially purchasing the tablet and also after receiving the last update. It's as simple as downloading a .zip file, dropping it onto your device's storage, booting into recovery and then applying it. Thanks for keeping that wide open, Samsung. Cheers Ben!

T-Mobile’s Android-Powered Devices Eat the Apple iPhone [Sponsored]

Guest — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 09:00:50 +0000

Though the iPhone has been the Apple of countless eyes and ears for quite some time, T-Mobile’s 4G Android-Powered Smartphones are quickly streaming into view. And these smartphones aren’t satisfied with just keeping up. Sure, the iPhone 4S is fast, sleek, competent and stylish, and many swooned at its release as they will at the next Apple product introduction. However, T-Mobile’s newest 4G smartphones are loaded with features sure to leave iPhone users feeling like they’ve got nothing more than a core. T-Mobile’s max theoretical data download speed clocks in at a lightning quick 42 Mbps, compared to the iPhone’s max theoretical speed of 14.4 Mbps. (This is possible because of currently being America’s largest 4G network.) Equipped with a Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ S3 Processor that’s got a 1.5 GHz dual-core CPU, T-Mobile’s Samsung Galaxy S II boasts a 4.52” Super AMOLED Plus screen, blazing fast Internet downloading that puts your home PC to shame, Google Voice Search capabilities for a truly hands-free experience, and access to T-Mobile’s best plan ever: subscribers get two lines – just $49.99 each – with unlimited data, talk and text and up to 2GB of high-speed data. Smitten by the Samsung Galaxy S II? Encourage others to take a bite: share the latest video touting its dynamic qualities.

This is a sponsored post written by T-Mobile.

Verizon Confirms $2 "Convenience Fee" for Bill Paying, Lists Out Your Options to Avoid it

Kellen — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 08:59:24 +0000

Just in case you weren't ready to accept our report last night that Verizon has plans to institute a $2 "convenience fee" for debit and credit transactions associated with paying your bill on January 15, they have confirmed it. It does indeed start on the 15th of next month and will affect those that make "single bill payments" via the phone or online. Big Red wants to be clear that you have a number of options to avoid the fee, one of those being autopay. Here are all of your options to avoid the fee:

Electronic check online (My Verizon Online, My Verizon Mobile/Handset). Fee waived.
Electronic check via telephone. Fee waived.
Enrollment in AutoPay using credit/debit/ATM card or electronic check; fee does not apply
Online from the customer’s home-banking service provider website; fee does not apply.
Credit/debit/ATM card, electronic check or cash at a Bill Payment Kiosk, Panel or with a representative at a Verizon Wireless Communications Store; fee does not apply.
Use of a Verizon Wireless Gift Card or Verizon Wireless device Rebate Card to pay a bill in-store, online or by telephone; fee does not apply
Paper check or money order mailed to the VZW remit address on customer’s bill; fee does not apply.

And there you have it. Via: Verizon

Verizon: 4G LTE Outage Resolved Overnight, 3G Operated Normally?

Kellen — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 08:08:41 +0000

Another Verizon 4G LTE network outage happened yesterday and lasted upwards of 12-14 hours for some. Big Red has finally addressed the downtime this morning by sending out the Tweet that we have posted above, letting customers know that the issues have been resolved and that life should be normal again. While that's good news, I can't help but disagree with their "3G operated normally" comment that was also included. And I have to disagree because there were more than a few of us that were left without both 3G and 4G for all of yesterday. 3G-only phones may have continued to hum along on 3G without a hiccup, but those of us with 4G phones could not even connect to 3G during the majority of the outage. There is a time and a place to spin things, this would be a great time to be up front and honest about why we have had 3 major outages in one month on the "most reliable network" in the land. Via: Twitter

Verizon to Charge Customers $2 Fee When Paying Bills Online or Over the Phone Starting January 15

Kellen — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 19:36:08 +0000

Time to set up "auto pay" through your Verizon Wireless account. According to our sources, Big Red will start charging you a $2 fee both over the phone and online for your monthly bill transaction unless you have your account set up to pay automatically. I know this news won't excite most of you, but know that there are still plenty of options to get you out of having to pay this "convenience " charge. We have all of your options listed below. This new $2 fee will allow Big Red to "continue to support these bill payment options." Mmmhmm. Below is the confirmation that has been released by Verizon.

Customers Encouraged to Use Options to Avoid Single Payment Fee That Starts Jan. 15
Verizon Wireless offers customers numerous free and simple payment options and we encourage customers to use those options. Starting January 15, a new $2 payment convenience fee will be instituted for customers who make single bill payments online or by telephone. There are a couple of exceptions. See below. The fee will help allow us to continue to support these single bill payment options in these channels and is designed to address costs incurred by us for only those customers who choose to make single bill payments in alternate payment channels (online, mobile, telephone). It is waived for those who pay by electronic check or enroll in AutoPay -- we encourage customers to use those or other payment options that incur no fees. [See complete list below.] The telephone and online single payment fee, which takes effect January 15, will be disclosed up-front and throughout the transaction. There are numerous payment options available to our customers where the fee is waived or where no fee applies. They include:

Electronic check online (My Verizon Online, My Verizon Mobile/Handset). Fee waived.

Electronic check via telephone. Fee waived.

Enrollment in AutoPay using credit/debit/ATM card or electronic check; fee does not apply

Online from the customer’s home-banking service provider website; fee does not apply.

Credit/debit/ATM card, electronic check or cash at a Bill Payment Kiosk, Panel or with a representative at a Verizon Wireless Communications Store; fee does not apply.

Use of a Verizon Wireless Gift Card or Verizon Wireless device Rebate Card to pay a bill in-store, online or by telephone; fee does not apply

Paper check or money order mailed to the VZW remit address on customer’s bill; fee does not apply.

Update: They gave into customer complaints and have now decided not to institute this fee. Cheers ___ and ___!

Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 4G LTE EL01 Update is Ready, TouchWiz for Tablets has Arrived on Verizon

Kellen — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 17:05:58 +0000

If you own a Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 with 4G LTE on Verizon, you should have a pretty major update available to you any day now. The update is version EL01 and includes TouchWiz for tablets along with a ton of other fixes and improvements. The document above (click to enlarge) will walk you through all of the major changes such as the mini apps tray, quick panel, and social hub widget. If stock Honeycomb was becoming a bore, this should give you some much needed spice. The update itself is 351MB in size, so be sure you are in a strong LTE area or on WiFi before attempting to download. More details after the break.

More info.

HTC: All Devices Launched After September 2011 Have Unlockable Bootloaders

Kellen — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 16:50:46 +0000

Ater finding out that the bootloader of the HTC Rezound could be unlocked using HTCDev's bootloader unlock tool, our initial reaction was to think that this was a mistake and that it would be fixed shortly. Boy was that reaction wrong, and in a good way. HTC has updated their developer site with the following comment:

All HTC Android devices launched after September 2011 are unlockable. The website will be updated accordingly to reflect this in the coming weeks. We continue to work on models launched prior to September 2011, please check back often for the status of older devices.

So not only was it not a mistake for the Rezound to be unlockable, but going forward, every single HTC device will join the party. That's a big deal, folks. If only we knew what was on the horizon as far as HTC devices go on Verizon. Well, we sort of have an idea: the Fireball. But wait, didn't Motorola blame Verizon for forcing them into locking bootloaders on the RAZR and every other device from them over the last year? Indeed they did. I wonder if we can talk HTC into teaching Motorola how to grow a pair? Via: HTCDev Cheers everyone!

DROID RAZR Fastboot 6.11.744 Files Released

Kellen — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 14:39:06 +0000

DROID RAZR developers have been in need of a break to really get their ROM and development community kicked off. That time may be here thanks to infamous Moto file leaker daywalker04 over at XDA who just released the 6.11.744 fastboot files. To my knowledge, these files are similar to what we had in the SBF days of old and should act as a safety blanket of sorts in case you soft brick your RAZR. By flashing these in RSD Lite, you should be able to recover your phone for the time being. Jump on these now before they disappear into the abyss. Via: XDA, DroidRzr Cheers MistaWolfe!

Verizon's 4G LTE Network Expands All Over Eastern Washington and Idaho

Kellen — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 14:18:05 +0000

Verizon announced a surprise expansion of their 4G LTE network into the majority of eastern Washington and Idaho over the holiday weekend. Up until December 22, Spokane was really the only city in the area to enjoy the upgraded speeds, but now you will find coverage all the way from Colville to Coeur d'Alene to Kellogg. For those not familiar with the northwestern section of the U.S., I'll just say that as someone from the region, I'm impressed at this expansion. Some of these are incredibly small towns that I would have expected to be last on the list. And for those of you currently living in smaller VZW markets without 4G, these are the signs you have got to enjoy seeing. The goal was to have LTE in every market that had 3G by the end of 2013 - I'd say we are well on our way to that. Now if only Big Red could figure out how to keep this shiny new network up for more than a week at a time. Here is the list of new markets:

Chewelah, WA
Coeur d’Alene, ID
Colville, WA
Deer Lake, WA
Fairchild AFB, WA
Harrison, ID
Hayden, ID
Kellogg, ID
Kettle Falls, WA
Medical Lake, WA
Newport, WA
Plummer, ID
Ponderay, ID
Post Falls, ID
Priest Lake, ID
Priest River, ID
Sandpoint, ID
Schweitzer Mountain, ID
Silver Mountain, ID
Spirit Lake, ID
St Maries, ID
Washington State University Campus

Via: Verizon Cheers Travis!

DROID 4 is Mistakenly Front and Center in Best Buy Rewards Zone Promotion

Tim — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 13:45:34 +0000

Looks like Best Buy had a feeling that the Motorola DROID 4 was already supposed to have launched this month. According to their newest online Rewards Zone promo, if you upgrade your existing device to say, possibly a DROID 4 on Verizon, you would receive 5000 bonus points which equal up to reward certificates. Unfortunately, as we all know, the DROID 4 has not been launched yet and Best Buy just made a silly little error. Not the first, nor the last time that this will happen. Via: Best Buy Rewards Zone Cheers Jonny Ray!

Droid Life's Look Back At 2011 In Numbers

Tim — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 13:01:55 +0000

We have a huge love for people's opinions here at Droid Life, which most of you have gathered as participants in our well known reader polls. Over the course of this year alone, we have posed about 70 different poll questions, asking that you share things like which devices you want, what features you need, and even what apps you can't live without. As a community driven news outlet, there is not a better way for us to decide the direction of the site than through these polls. Plus, they are a ton of fun. At the end of 2011, we have reached 650,000+ total votes casted and more than 480,000 comments. To us, those numbers are mind-numbing. So down below we have gone ahead and pulled some of the top polls, charted them, and then presented them in a way that will give us all a look at what 2011 was all about. Who were the most popular manufacturers from one quarter to another? Are unlockable bootloaders important during the purchasing decision? Did any of our 2011 predictions come true? Enjoy.

September 21, 2011 December 22, 2011

"What phone do you currently own?" It's amazing to see how drastically a poll can change when a smartphone of the Galaxy Nexus' significance comes out. Back in September, the smartphone pie was spread fairly evenly throughout a number of devices. As of December 22 and a week into availability of the Nexus, there is one phone that has taken over the DL community. You can read our full review of the Galaxy Nexus here. Below we have the comparison charts for the DL community's phone manufacturer of choice throughout 2011. Back in August, Motorola had a commanding lead over any other maker with HTC falling just short in 2nd place. But now, thanks to the Galaxy Nexus, Samsung appears to have shed it's "cheaply made" stigma and stolen the top spot. It's tough to tell exactly what this means, but my first instinct is to assume that bootloaders, open software, and the latest version of Android have a bigger role in hardware choice than the actual hardware.

August 22, 2011 December 27, 2011

All the way back in January we asked for your 2011 predictions. What would be the story of the year? Verizon's new 4G LTE network? Honeycomb tablets? iPhone finally on Big Red? All of our imaginations were running wild as CES was just wrapping up and we were on the verge of seeing a huge surge of dual-core devices coupled with astonishing data speeds. For the most part, the poll was pretty spot on other than most Honeycomb tablets flopping. LTE was clearly the talk of the town from quarter to quarter. Nice job, folks.

Along with all of the major polls we ran, we also asked a ton of other questions having to do with your smartphones. Questions ranged from what your preferred screen size was, if you used insurance, and even what your favorite keyboard is.

2011 also marked the year that Google introduced Google+ to be the next major competitor to go directly to battle with Facebook. After the initial "private" period, the service opened up to all, causing quite the reaction from readers and other tech minds alike. Were people actually using it? Did it stand a chance against Facebook? It seemed only fitting that we ask all of you.

"But what about the bootloader?!?" How many times did we hear that question this year? With Verizon and Motorola releasing device after device with locked bootloaders we could tell that people were starting to become depressed when thinking about the future of Android's underground development. So do the majority of Android owners really want their bootloaders unlocked? This poll should give you the clearest answer.

And in one last semi-poll, we still had time to create a massive list of the top 25 apps from 2011 posts for all of our app junkies. We covered the top games, utilities, and everything in between in this huge app roundup. Want to check it out? Then click the picture below.

2012 and CES are right around the corner. Any predictions on what will make headlines? Possibly Jelly Bean? Quad-core phones? Let us know your predictions down below.

Want to Upgrade to 50GB of Box Storage for Free and Without Rooting? Try This Sneaky App

Kellen — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 11:56:30 +0000

Box and it's cloud storage service is apparently running some sort of free 50GB upgrade for owners of the Sony Xperia Play and various LG phones through the end of the year (yep, just 3 days left). Why we aren't see it for every Android phone is beyond me, but Sony and LG likely struck some sort of deal to make their devices look more appealing. If you don't own either though, you can get the 50GB thanks to a handy little app created by developer redphx. Previous attempts to get devices the free space were limited to rooted phones and forced you to edit your build.prop, but this new app allows you to get it by simply signing into your Box account. *Note - One of the permissions does include Internet Access which may scare some of you since you are using your account login to get the deal. The developer assures us that "no email or password is stored," but how can you really tell? Proceed with caution. I can say that my account does indeed have 50GB of storage now after using this app though. *Note 2 - As reader ksat has mentioned, a simple password change in your Box.net account should ease your concerns after using this app. Market Link Cheers Adam!

HTC Rezound Bootloader Unlocked at HTCDev Even Though It Isn't Listed as a Supported Device

Kellen — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 11:35:40 +0000

HTC Rezound owners, get your butts over to HTCDev.com immediately before this gets shut down. According to a variety of forums, the Rezound's bootloader can be unlocked using the tools provided at HTCDev. You are left with S-ON afterwards, but to my knowledge, that's the way all HTC unlocked phones are left after using these tools. It should be noted that you won't find the Rezound listed as a compatible device, but if you follow all of the instructions laid out, your phone will indeed get the unlock treatment. Via: RootzWiki, XDA Cheers claydos66!

Verizon 4G LTE Nationwide Data Outage Happening Once Again (Updated)

Kellen — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 10:02:56 +0000

It has been a rough month for Verizon's network to say the least. The entire network (both 3G and 4G) for LTE customers appears to be down once again. This would be the third time this month alone. According to Twitter, the outage seems to be pretty sporadic with some in NYC having no issues while others are. Phoenix, Minneapolis, Detroit, Chicago, Houston, San Francisco and Portland are also being reported as down. As usual, we would love to hear your city and state in the comments and whether or not you are having issues. If you are, be sure to let us know when you see network access again. Update 10:45AM: Realizing that LTE customers do not have 3G service either. Just checked a 3G-only phone and it still has data and 3G service. Appears to be only LTE phones, but they are left without data completely. Update 11:20AM: 3G is back here in Portland. 4G still appears to be down. Anyone else seeing changes? Update 11:21AM: Scratch that. Toggled LTE back on and now I no longer have 3G either. It's almost like devices are taking forever to reconnect to the network. If you see 3G pop back up, do not toggle LTE on or off or you may lose connection again. Update 1:16PM: According to @CNBC, Verizon is investigating the issue. I would have hoped they had started investigating hours ago when it first went down. Update 2:09PM: According to our Twitter timeline, a number of you are seeing your coverage return. Still out in Portland though. Update 9:32PM: 4G has returned here in Portland almost 12 hours after it went down. Has your data come back yet? Stay here for updates...

Download: MotoACTV App for Non-Motorola Phones

Kellen — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 09:35:28 +0000

Other than price, one of the biggest annoyances to Motorola's MotoACTV sports tracker has been the fact that it is limited to only being able to pair with Motorola Android phones. This limitation left anyone who owns say a Galaxy Nexus, Rezound or other non-Moto phone without the ability to receive calls, texts or calendar notifications during a workout - one of the major selling points to the device. Thankfully, the developer community has our back again and pulled out the permission from the app that was asking to validate with Blur and it now works on all Android phones, accepting calls, texts and even calendar reminders. Download: com.motorola.notification_2.apk | Weather Plugin Install to your phone like you would any non-market app. Download, tap on it when it finishes and then "Install." Via: XDA Cheers Brad!

DROID 4 Audio Clips Confirm That It Was Ready For Launch

Kellen — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 08:45:21 +0000

It's pretty obvious that the DROID 4 will not be launching in 2011. Early rumors pegged it for a December 22 release, but that was almost a week ago now and the device is no where to be found. Well, that's not 100% accurate. Traces of the phone are everywhere on droiddoes.com, leading us to believe that this device was indeed headed for a December launch. Their marketing department or promotional team that puts these things together usually doesn't populate that site with new device info unless we are ready to rock. What happened? That's anyone's guess. The latest target date we have seen is February, so for those waiting to get their hands on the first truly-powerful 4G LTE slider, it may be another month or two. In the mean time, you can check out 6 audio clips that a friend sent over, giving us a great description of the device in that classic droiddoes.com military-esque/futuristic-tech voice. Audio clips: [audio:http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/CHPTR00.mp3|titles=CHPTR00] 1. Initiating device analysis. Subject: Droid 4. Mutation detected. [audio:http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/CHPTR01.mp3|titles=CHPTR01] 2. Subject has made the evolutionary leap to Verizon 4G LTE. Now demonstrates the ability to meet rigorous demands of those who require hyperspeed to: Download and upload files almost instantly; stream entertainment with less lag and latency; access webpages at higher and higher speeds. Power source appears to be responding to exponential growth of Android Market. Processor has increased its output to keep up with thousands of new apps and subsequent multitasking. Dual-core 1.2 GHz processor and 1 GB LP DDR2 RAM detected. Sensors indicate additional advantagous mutations. [audio:http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/CHPTR02.mp3|titles=CHPTR02] 3. Scanning slide-out QWERTY keyboard. Subject has developed new, edge-lit keys evolved to allow for round-the-clock commands and correspondance. Type in low light with confidence. Subject is now ready to equip those with night and day involvement in multiple social and business endeavors. [audio:http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/CHPTR03.mp3|titles=CHPTR03] 4. Optic sensors indicate front-facing camera now exhibiting high definition capability. Allows for crystal clear face-to-face exchanges when on-location meetings are not possible. Facilitates "see what I'm seeing" video chats with peers. Picture clarity now compliments near lag-free Verizon 4G LTE video chat. [audio:http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/CHPTR04.mp3|titles=CHPTR04] 5. Droid 4 has acclimated itself to heavy usage by minimizing battery drain and now allows you to automate your most important routines. (This is alpha station, explain.) Smart actions app now installed and routing power away from non-essential operations, decelerating power drain, recognizing behaviors, anticipating needs. Results: Battery extended; productivity up; time needed: down. [audio:http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/CHPTR05.mp3|titles=CHPTR05] 6. Subject appears to have adapted well to the predatory elements of Verizon's ever-expanding 4G LTE domain and has acquired new-found survival skills and safeguards. Corning gorilla glass: Confirmed. Water-repellent nano-technology: Confirmed. Droid 4 has established this perimeter around the thinnest 4G LTE QWERTY smartphone yet observed. Subject is now prepared to go wherever it is needed, ready to withstand less than delicate handling. And to catch up on all things DROID 4 including official specs, pictures and accessories, you will want to see our recap post. Cheers Droid 4 Info!

Andy Rubin: 3.7 Million Android Devices Activated Over X-Mas

Kellen — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 08:06:57 +0000

Yeah, 3.7 million activations is a lot of activations over a 2-day period. The only question mark here is whether or not that is both days combined or the total for each day individually. I would tend to lean towards that being the 2-day total or Mr. Rubin would have rephrased it or straight up dropped a "7.4 million" Tweet. According to a report yesterday, there were 6.8 million Android and iOS devices activated on X-mas Day alone, so going by all of that math, iOS was the clear winner here. Then again, when you are talking iOS devices being activated, you are talking iPads, iPod Touches and iPhones. With Android, sure you are getting some tablets in there as well, but the percentage there is likely in the 2.5% range of the total with phones taking the cake. I think the biggest piece of the story here, is the fact that we aren't seeing mentions of activations from any other player in the game. Where you at RIM and Windows Phone? This has been a 2-horse race for a while, but it is so more now than ever. Via: Twitter

Samsung Galaxy Nexus 4G LTE Review

Kellen — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 14:45:41 +0000

As the Galaxy Nexus approached launch on Verizon here in the U.S., you couldn't pull up an Android site without seeing some sort of rumor, tip or leak that had to do with it. This phone was hypebeasted as if it was the second coming of some religious tech figure. Over the last couple of months, things have been unbelievably wild (both positively and negatively) around these parts, and the majority of the thanks can be attributed to it. As a "Nexus" on Verizon, the release of this phone marked an industry first on a number of levels including the combination of Ice Cream Sandwich, 4G LTE, NFC, an unlockable bootloader, and the support of the entire developer community. It has been dubbed as one of the first truly finished Android products to date. With so much to live up to, we will do our best to let you know whether or not it has.

The Good:

Hardware: The insides of the Galaxy Nexus are what you would expect from a top tier phone in 2011. It has a dual-core processor clocked at 1.2GHz, 1GB of RAM, both front and back cameras that can shoot HD video, an HD display, 4G LTE and an NFC chip. You will find ultra-enthusiasts out there claiming that Google should have done more to push the envelope, but truthfully, they didn't need to. They optimized top notch hardware with the latest version of Android making this phone run like butter. Oh, and we should also point out that this is the only device on the planet running the OMAP4460 processor if you really need to justify it.
Feel: In hand, I'm not sure there is a phone that feels better. Its curves and weight make the Galaxy Nexus a joy to hold. We were slightly worried about how it would feel when Samsung announced that it would sport a massive 4.65" display, but those worries were washed away the minute we got it in hand. You will hear critics claim that the device feels cheap "like all Samsung devices" - I would beg to differ. I've had the Galaxy S2, Fascinate, and some of their tablets, so I know what cheap feels like. This phone, feels completely different and of a higher quality than past Samsung releases.
Design/Build: This could have gone in the "feel" department, but that just wouldn't be fair because the design of this phone is a work of art. With its slightly curved HD Super AMOLED display, bottom-placed headphone jack, textured back, volume and lock switch placements, and on-screen buttons, the G-Nex is easy on the eye and easy to use. If there was a design standard that manufacturers should take going forward, this and the DROID RAZR are the two phones to look at.

Performance: We have been off the benchmark train for quite some time now, so when we talk performance, you aren't going to see them anywhere. When we mention "performance," we tend to go with a little thing called the feel test. And with this phone, the feel test is passed with flying colors. What we mean by that, is that the feeling you get while buzzing through home screens, switching apps, using the camera, watching video, playing games, etc. just feels great. There are no stutters, the phone never seems to get bogged down by too many processes, and no matter what you throw at it, the Nexus can complete it. Also, thanks to Ice Cream Sandwich, you can limit the number of tasks that your phone keeps in the background, making this phone as fast as you want it to be.
NFC: NFC will some day be the future of mobile payment technology and the sharing of info between two devices. With the G-Nex, you get an NFC chip, so going forward, you are set. Now, the real struggle comes on the back end of things where we see if Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile will allow you to have options to make those mobile payments and share information. So far they have chosen to lock it down to their yet-to-be-released NFC payment option. Thankfully this is a Nexus, and you already have other choices.
Screen: The HD Super AMOLED display on the G-Nex is simply put, beautiful. At 316ppi, it falls short of the HTC Rezound's 342ppi, but most human eyes won't be seeing pixels either way. If there was one downside, it's that the colors are a little more vibrant or cartoon-like than some may want, especially after you see the natural tones on the Rezound. No matter what though, this is as high of quality of screen as you'll find on any phone and will not disappoint. Plus, with the phone's ability to hide the on-screen buttons to give you a full 4.65 inches of viewing goodness, you will be searching for excuses to continue to use it.

It's a "Nexus": As someone that's life is now dedicated to Android, I look forward to seeing what Google has dubbed the next "Nexus." It's always the ultimate developer phone that launches with the newest version of Android before any other phone. This is what it is all about if you can't get enough green robot. And with this being the first Nexus on Verizon, I'm not sure you will find a happier tech geek. The developer community has already flocked to this phone to give you more hacks, tweaks and ROMs than you will know what to do with. If tinkering with your phone is a must, then this is the phone to look for.
4G LTE: 4G LTE may kill batteries at a record pace, but we still love it. Having faster internet speeds on your phone than your home computer is something I still struggle to wrap my brain around. Couple LTE with a Nexus and you have a match made in heaven.
Camera (speed and software): I'll touch on the quality of the camera down below as it is most definitely not in the "good" category. As far as speed goes, no other camera phone can match the instant shutter of the Nexus. You tap on the camera button and it takes photo before you can even blink. And better yet, it's ready to go that quickly so you can snap a whole series of photos and not even realize you have. The software is also improved with panoramic features, a whole bunch of on-device editing tools, and fancy "hipster" filters.

Camera (video): As you will see in the 1080p sample that is attached down below, the video quality that the Nexus shoots is surprisingly good. The zooming while recording is much better than expected and time lapse recording is an added bonus. While this may never replace my HD camcorder, it will do just fine as a replacement in a pinch.
Ice Cream Sandwich: As you all know, the Galaxy Nexus runs the newest version of Android (4.0) that has been named Ice Cream Sandwich. It's the most advanced, polished and user-friendly version to date. If there was a time to get started with an Android device, this would be the one as ICS is the future of Android. And with ICS and the Nexus, you get some extra features like Android's Beam sharing feature that utilizes the NFC chip. You also get the on-screen buttons that rotate with the phone instead of the built-in soft keys that most phones have. Some would argue that the real draw to the Nexus is the fact that it is the first to run Android 4.0 and they may be right. Then again, the phone coupled with ICS and the attention to detail by Google is what really makes it. If you want complete overviews and tips and tricks on Android 4.0, you will want to see our G-Nex guide to the world.
Updates: You won't find a phone attached to a carrier that will see updates as quickly as the Galaxy Nexus. Since it's a "Nexus" and receives new OS updates directly from Google, you will always be on top of the Android game. Rather than seeing an OS update roll out and then asking yourself when you will see it on your skinned phone, you will be the one with the new OS watching everyone else ask that question.

The Not-so-Good:

Camera (picture quality): If there was one thing that I think we can all agree on, it's the fact that Google and Samsung skimped on the camera in this phone. It is just not as good as the competition at taking still shots. Forget the fact that it's only 5MP and not the industry standard of 8MP for high end phones, the camera in this phone should be better than it is. Low or bright lit areas, the shooter here is simply not good enough when you compare it to the HTC Rezound or even the RAZR for that matter. It may not be as bad as the Bionic's camera, but man is it pushing it. You definitely can't expect this phone to "wow" any of your friends in the recently-snapped-photo department. Samples below:

(Click images for larger versions)

Battery life: It's an LTE phone, so it sucks. On either the standard or extended batteries and with LTE turned on and WiFi off, you aren't going to get a whole day of life out of this phone. Hell, you may not even get half of a day. I hit anywhere between 6-11 hours, but the average is probably closer to the lower end of that range. If you want your phone to last for 20+ hours though, simply turn off LTE and you will never worry about battery life again. On an average day using WiFi and 3G-only, I consistently see well over 20 hours of life on the extended or standard batteries.

Rear speaker: The rear speaker has been a pain for some, including myself at times. It has an incredibly low volume even when turned all of the way up. There are apps out there that can adjust the stock volume settings to make your external speaker louder though, just be careful that you don't overdo it. Depending on your need for a high-pitched ringtone, this isn't necessarily a deal breaker on this phone.
Connection issues (for some): I haven't run into the signal and connection issues that many of you have, but it still needs to be addressed. There are all sorts of antennae-gate signal strength issues going on with this phone, some of which have been debunked time and time again. That doesn't mean that there aren't Nexus owners experiencing real issues though. Some have reported that when sitting side-by-side in low coverage areas with their other 4G phones, that the Nexus can't even lock onto LTE while the others can at least grab a couple of bars. It's tough to tell if this can be fixed with software or if it's even widespread. One thing is certain, if you spend the majority of your days in a low signal LTE or even 3G area, just make sure you keep track of the time you have to return it in case your Nexus struggles.

Price: We are almost a year into the $299 on-contract phone pricing scheme and I'm still not a fan of it. I get that Verizon tested us all with the DROID Charge and a few people actually forked out that kind of change leading Big Red to push forward with this being the standard for high end LTE phones, but that doesn't mean I can't complain about it. And I totally get that we should expect to pay a premium for a device we use on a daily basis, yet it still seems a little much. Then again, I had no problem actually dropping Benjamins for it...so maybe this argument is completely unnecessary. Damn you ever-changing tech industry!

Gallery:

Hands-on and Overview:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ZOUEjxI87M[/youtube]

Video Sample (1080p):

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RkUjXPBDmVA[/youtube]

The Verdict:

The combination of beautiful hardware, innovative design, and software has made the Galaxy Nexus one of the first Android devices to feel "complete." There have been few times over the last two years that I reviewed a phone and felt 100% confident in recommending it - this is one of those times. Is it the best Android phone available? Easily. While the Galaxy Nexus may have a camera that doesn't measure up to some of the other players in the game like the HTC Rezound or DROID RAZR, there are too many other positives to make this the phone that you should check out if you have an upgrade available. Actually, if you are a tech geek that always wants to be on the leading edge of the Android world, you may also want to look to go off-contract and upgrade. After having had both the GSM and LTE versions of this phone for the last month, it has easily become my favorite Android device. Related: Complete Galaxy Nexus "How To" Guide | Ice Cream Sandwich Features Part 1 and Part 2.

Samsung Galaxy Nexus LTE Specs | Other Galaxy Nexus Coverage

ASUS Transformer Receives Firmware Update 8.6.5.21, Not Ice Cream Sandwich

Tim — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 13:51:54 +0000

Still rocking your Asus Eee Pad Transformer? Then go ahead and pull this latest update straight from Asus bringing you to the newest firmware available, build 8.6.5.21. It might not be Ice Cream Sandwich, but at least you can rest assured knowing that Asus is continuing their work on this dual-core workhorse. The update includes a few bug fixes and other minor tweaks to keep your Transformer working tip top. After the update, your Transformers specs should read out like this:

Android Version: 3.2.1
GPS Version: V5.5.8
WiFi Version: V5.2.65
Bluetooth Version: V6.24
Kernel Version: 2.6.36.3-00001-g9a21fc1android@Mercury #1
Build number: HTK75.US_epad-8.6.5.21-10221216

Cheers Chris!

Gameloft Offering All Android Titles For Just $0.99 Starting December 29 Through January 5

Tim — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 13:22:37 +0000

Starting this Thursday, Android gaming fanatics will be able to score all of Gameloft's Android applications for just 99 cents a title. Woot! The deal ends next year on the 5th of January, so don't miss out. Down below is a short list of a few games that will be available:

Asphalt 6: Adrenaline
Modern Combat 2: Black Pegasus
N.O.V.A. 2 HD, Order & Chaos Online
The Adventures of Tintin – The Game

If you don't want to take the chance on missing out on any of the deals, then you can follow Gameloft on Twitter.

Tuesday Poll: Who is your favorite Android phone manufacturer today?

Tim — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 12:22:07 +0000

Back in August we ran a simple poll asking which device manufacturer our readers favored. Motorola had a strong following just a few months ago, but now that the Galaxy Nexus is out, we have a feeling everyone's opinion of Samsung might have possibly turned around. So down below, give us your take on which manufacturer is your favorite. Motorola for their history of high quality and tough builds, Samsung for their screens and lighter hardware, or even HTC for making music lovers their main priority with the acquisition of Beats Audio. [poll id="119"]

Android and iOS Activations Skyrocket 353% on Christmas Day Setting New Record

Tim — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 11:40:40 +0000

Giving the gift of Android is a magical thing. And from the looks of the newest report from Flurry Analytics, there was plenty of magic happening last Sunday. According to Flurry, activations for Android and iOS devices jumped 353% on Sunday and reached an amazing number of 6.8 million in a single day. With a huge boost in activations, it doesn't take an Android engineer to figure that app downloads will also go through the roof. A record 242 million apps were downloaded through the iOS and Android markets on Christmas Day. Now, let us hope that all of those new lovely Android owners find their way here to DL. Via: BGR, Flurry

Galaxy Nexus Time Lapse Feature Turns 400 Mile X-mas Drive Into 6 Minutes of Fun

Kellen — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 10:40:25 +0000

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cC82FHhrK-0[/youtube]

One of the coolest features introduced with Ice Cream Sandwich and the Galaxy Nexus, was the camera's ability to record time lapse video. If you have the time and occasion where you may not need to move your phone for an extended period of time, you can create some pretty amazing clips. The problem there being, an extended period of time where you are not needing to use your phone much. One of our readers just so happened to have that time this past holiday weekend on his 400 mile drive home. With car mount in check and charging cable attached, his Galaxy Nexus turned his journey into 6 minutes of time lapse fun. For those unfamiliar with the time lapse option, simply head into your camera app, choose the video recorder and then the half circle icon to set your time lapse interval. Press record and enjoy!

Cheers Ben!

Show Off Your Home Screens Day!

Kellen — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 10:00:16 +0000

With the holidays quickly coming to an end and with many of you picking up new devices as presents, there are probably plenty of big beautiful home screens out there that are in dire need of makeovers. And also, since the Galaxy Nexus hit and this on-screen button thing is throwing some of us for a loop, we need inspiration from the greatest Android community on the planet. And to get that, it's time for one of our now-famous "Show Off Your Home Screens!" posts. It has been a while since we put together one of these, so let's see what kinds of masterpieces you have created over the last couple of months.

Instructions: 1. For those with the Galaxy Nexus, you can take screenshots by press in Power and Volume Down at the same time and holding for 2-3 seconds. 2. For those without a G-Nex, you can either screenshot in adb or root and use Screenshot ER. 3. Once you have a screenshot, upload it to your favorite image hosting site and paste the URL that ends with the file name (.png, .jpg, .gif, etc.) into the comments and your image should be loaded for all to see. And if you can't get enough of Tato's rainbow bacon, feel free to download it below:

Early Alpha Build Of Official CM9 Launcher Up For Download, Customization For All 4.0.3 Devices

Eric — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 09:17:00 +0000

CyanogenMod 9 is slowly coming together behind closed doors, while we all wait anxiously for it. Every now and then we get a peek behind the curtains of the mad men that bring us CM and today is one of those peeks, and boy is it a good one. We get to see the official Ice Cream Sandwich launcher for CM9 and you can download it and take it for a spin, as long as you realize this is still an alpha build.

The Trebuchet Launcher is made for 4.0.3 devices only, but other than that only needs root to run. As with most Cyanogen, the focus is on customization. Here is a list of a few of the settings that are already working:

Custom number of Homescreens
Enable/Disable Persistent Search Bar
Separated Apps/Widgets in Drawer
Resize Any Widget
Show and Fade Scrolling Indicator in Homescreen and Drawer
Enable/Disable Auto-Rotate
Drawer Apps Sorting (Title, Install Date)

There are more planned features, like infinite scrolling and screen transitions between the app drawer and the home screens. There is flashable .zip and also an .apk that you can replace in your /system apps for however you would like to install it, but be warned; you should make a backup. Head on over to the XDA thread for the instructions. Via: XDA

DROID RAZR Receives ClockworkMod Recovery Via Bootstrap

Kellen — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 08:43:46 +0000

While I'm not interested in getting into the dev drama that appears to have surrounded this situation, I did want to point out that there has been a bootstrap app for the DROID RAZR since November, but for whatever reason, slipped through the cracks and almost no one saw it (maybe because most of you were renting it?). XDA member nitroglycerine33 created the fully working app that will flash ClockworkMod Recovery onto your device. Backups and restores appear to be fully working, so if rooting and then tweaking and potentially flashing ROMs is in your RAZR future, you will want to jump on this. I should point out though, that to my knowledge, there is not any form of system file that will save you should your run into soft-bricking types of issues. So if you proceed, understand the risks involved here. Via: XDA, Phandroid

Samsung Revisiting Idea of Ice Cream Sandwich for the Galaxy S and Galaxy Tab

Kellen — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 08:13:06 +0000

You can imagine that there were some unhappy people after hearing that Samsung was planning to leave out the original Galaxy S and Galaxy Tab lines from its Ice Cream Sandwich update plans. Apparently there were enough that Sammie is now revisiting the idea to see if they can somehow make it happen. This is good news for the millions of folks that bought Galaxy S phones across the globe, but we'll have to recommend that you not hold your breath, hold on for dear life, or cross any appendages as it could be a while. With TouchWiz reportedly the blame for the initial "No," and also knowing that Gingerbread took almost a full year to rollout, it could be a while. Via: The Verge

Low Volume Levels Driving You Nuts with the Galaxy Nexus? Volume+ is Here to Save the Day

Kellen — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 09:48:48 +0000

If there was one complaint that we have seen on numerous occasions and has actually affected our experience personally, it's the low volume issue on the Galaxy Nexus. It's tough to tell if this was Google or Samsung's doing, but one thing is clear, the external speaker just doesn't get loud enough. That's where Volume+ comes in to play, as recommended by a number of readers over the last week. While I'll be diving into it throughout the day myself, I would recommend that you check out the comments and reviews for the app to see for yourself that this appears to be the second coming of some speaker-fied holy figure for G-Nexes. It's fairly inexpensive as a paid app, just make sure you read the directions at first boot to understand what's going on. Market Links: Paid ($1.62) | Free Cheers Adam!

MotoACTV Rooted For Those Wanting More From Their Android Fitness Watch

Kellen — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 08:49:53 +0000

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AiAAlmyHa1Q[/youtube]

Good ol' Android. It doesn't matter what it's running on, you will almost always find someone out there willing to hack on it, and that's just what happened with Motorola's MotoACTV fitness watch. As you can see from the video above, the device is no longer running Moto's custom fitness software, but is instead cruising along rather smoothly with the Honeycomb launcher, Android Market, Youtube, Google Maps and more. With fairly lower end specs compared to phones just released, I've got to admit that I'm surprised to see it running so well. The again, the insides are essentially what gave the OG a solid 2 years of life. If you are interested in rooting, you can find full instructions at the CMW link below. And by no means does this look to be a difficult process. Via: CMW, Engadget

Contest: Two Weeks of Holiday Tegra #10 – Win an Asus Transformer and Docking Station (Updated: Winner Picked!)

Kellen — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 09:00:25 +0000

The final day of Two Weeks of Holiday Tegra is here! It has been quite the ride over the last couple of weeks - 9 of you have already won brand new Tegra 2 powered tablets from NVIDIA. But, to finish this contest with a bang, we are going really big and throwing out an Asus Transformer and its accompanying docking station to take you from tablet to laptop in seconds. The original Transformer has probably been the most popular Android tablet of the last year, so what better way to celebrate that than by giving it to one of our readers just before X-mas. Let's do it! And the winner of the Asus Transformer and docking station is...

Eduardo S who simply wants to spend more time with his wife next year.

Congrats Eduardo! And a huge thanks again to everyone who participated. Stay tuned for 2012 where we will have a bunch of additional contests throughout the year, including our famous Reader Appreciation week. Also, give it to NVIDIA for putting together such a fantastic prize pack. They are too awesome. Prize: 1 (one) Asus Transformer and 1 (one ) docking station. How to enter: 1. In the comments, let us know what you are most looking forward to in 2012. Does not have to be tech-related. 2. Follow @droid_life and @NVIDIATegra on Twitter. 3. Tweet the following message:

Last chance to win a tablet from @droid_life and @NVIDIATegra - Asus Transformer and dock up for grabs – http://goo.gl/iDxZn #android

4. U.S. residents only. Winner: At 5PM Pacific, we will randomly chose a winner from the comments. This post will be updated, comments closed, and the winner notified. Prizes will be shipped early next week.

This Week In The Life of DROID: 12/23/2011

Tim — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 12:14:46 +0000

It's time we all take a much needed break from the interwebz and go spend time with our family and loved ones.

From everyone here at DL - have a wonderful and safe Christmas. Peace!

Ummm No, This is Not the Galaxy SIII

Kellen — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 11:38:41 +0000

As much as some sites would have you believe, this is not actually the Samsung Galaxy SIII. You will probably see it all over the interwebs this weekend with "ZOMG! SGSIII images leak!" tags, but trust us, this is not it. It certainly looks pretty, and it should, since it's just a render that a reader created at some Russian concept phone site. The real SGSIII will more than likely be unveiled at Mobile World Congress next February. Back when the Galaxy Nexus was still mostly a rumor, we saw a 4Chan person spit out some potential SGSIII specs that a Samsung rep had reportedly provided in a presentation, but you should have stopped reading when I said "4Chan." Although, he was right on the G-Nex.

Own a DROID RAZR But Want to Use Swype Beta Instead of the Pre-loaded Version? Try These Instructions

Kellen — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 09:51:30 +0000

The partnerships that Swype has formed with a variety of phone manufacturers has likely done wonders for the growth of their company. Swype is essentially a household name in the Android game, and a lot of that has to do with it coming pre-loaded on all sorts of phones. But one of the frustrating things as a consumer, is watching their beta product continue to receive updates and improvements on a regular basis while the pre-loaded versions on some phones go without them. The DROID RAZR is a good example. While it may have a spicy black version that no other phone has, it may never see the new Dragon Dictation and advanced language modeling that were introduced this week with the beta. There could be an OS update to the RAZR from Motorola that will include these features, but that could be months out. And since the keyboard is installed as a System app, you cannot remove it or replace it with the beta. So you are stuck with the custom OEM version of Swype while the rest of the Android crew gets to test out new features in the beta. Frustrating, right? Well, thanks to a member over at XDA, you can get the beta up and running on your phone after following a few simple, yet specific instructions. We do recommend that you only attempt this if you understand the risks involved and are OK with them. And by that, I mean that you could soft brick your phone without many (or any) options to get you back up and running. Instructions:

*Proceed with caution. If you remove the wrong file, you could potentially soft brick your phone. And I'm not sure there are any files out there to bring you back from the dead for the RAZR. *You will need to be rooted. 1. Using Root Explorer - Change your default input method to anything other than Swype. 2. Mount file system as R/W 3. Delete (or move/rename) \system\app\swype.apk 4. Delete (or move/rename) \data\dalvik-cache\system@app@Swype.apk@classes.dex 5. Delete (or move/rename) \system\lib\libSwypeCore.so 6. Reboot 7. Download and Run the latest Swype Beta installer

*Note - If you run into force closes after installing the beta, try removing Swype and the Swype Installer under Manage Apps, reboot and install the beta again. Via: XDA Cheers Mike!

Hulu Plus Worked on the Galaxy Nexus Yesterday, No Longer Does Today

Kellen — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 09:07:25 +0000

Within the last 24 hours, something happened to Hulu Plus. As you can see from the screenshot above, it no longer works on the Galaxy Nexus, yet did yesterday and every day before that since launch. It's tough to tell what the Hulu team is doing or what their reason is for this sudden change, but we have reached out and will report back if we hear anything. Cheers Richard and everyone else on Twitter!

Another Batch of Galaxy Nexus LTE ROMs to Take You Into the Weekend

Kellen — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 08:51:06 +0000

In just over a week, we now have more Galaxy Nexus ROMs than almost anyone can keep up with and it's glorious. On Tuesday, we talked about the first few Android 4.0.3 based builds that were popping up, but as you can see from the list below, there are so many more than you should think about checking out. Some of these ROMs are completely stock AOSP builds, while most include tweaks like notification menu toggles, soft key customizations (including a search button), custom kernels, LED options and more. Oh, and did we mention that one of them is MIUI and almost fully working? If you were wondering why we are spending so much time on this device, it's because of this situation that is happening. Just like we saw with the original DROID, the developer community is flocking to this phone to try and create the best ROM, kernel or hack on the planet. On a daily basis you have something new to flash or a new tweak or optimization to try - it's going to be a blast. Threads: Bugless Beast | Android Open Kang Project | ViciousMIUI | ZYGOT3 | Tranquil Ice

Samsung: Galaxy S Series and Original Galaxy Tab Will Not Receive Ice Cream Sandwich

Kellen — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 08:12:00 +0000

Come on folks, you didn't actually believe the original Galaxy S series would see Ice Cream Sandwich, did you? Whenever you put "update" and "Samsung" in the same sentence, you should know how that situation is about to go down. While I'm a huge fan of the Galaxy Nexus and the newest versions of the Galaxy Tab series, the original Galaxy S line of phones took how long to see Gingerbread? The Fascinate just received Android 2.3 on December 1...as in 3 weeks ago. The original Galaxy Tab was about a month sooner than that, but with single-core processors, TouchWiz, and a focus on the future from Sammie, you should have expected this news. Not that that makes it good or "OK" news, but just that the world's jaw would have dropped if they had announced that they would receive ICS. Don't worry though, if the original DROID can see an Android 4.0 port, I'm sure these phones and tablets will as well. Go developers, go! Via: SammyHub, Samsung Tomorrow

Contest: Two Weeks of Holiday Tegra #9 – Win a Sony Tablet S (Updated: Winner Picked!)

Tim — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 17:15:09 +0000

It is now Day 9 of DL and NVIDIA's Two Weeks of Holiday Tegra. There are only two days left, folks. It's coming down to the wire to be able to snag up a Tegra 2 powered Android device. Today we have a very popular Honeycomb tablet called the Sony Tablet S. Want it? Update: And the winner of the Sony Tablet S is....

1bad69z28 - I am fortunate to have a job and play Santa Claus this Christmas so I am hoping to score and witness my little girls smiles and giggles when they see their presents!!!! Ahh PRICELESS.

Congrats! And a huge thanks to everyone who entered! The Sony Tablet S is powered by NVIDIA's Tegra 2 dual-core processor with an exceptionally unique teardrop design. The tablet features dual-cameras, and a beautiful 9.4" display. Definitely an excellent gift for anyone with a good eye for high quality. Prize: 1 (one) Sony Tablet S. How to enter: 1. In the comments, tell us what you are hoping to score this Christmas. 2. Follow @droid_life and @NVIDIATegra on Twitter. 3. Tweet the following message:

Just in time for the holidays. Win a Sony Tablet S from @droid_life and @NVIDIATegra – http://goo.gl/cI8ar #android

Thursday Poll: Your Current Phone is?

Kellen — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 15:40:16 +0000

Since another major phone has been released, I'd say it is time to ask the readers of this fabulous community what they are currently rockin'. In the last 2 months, we saw Verizon introduce 3 of the top Android phones ever made in the Rezound, RAZR and Galaxy Nexus. And since this also happened to be the time that millions of original DROID owners were coming due on their contracts, we can imagine that at least a few of these "Big 3" were purchased. So, which is it? [poll id="118"]

Tegra 3 Optimized SHADOWGUN Now Available in the Android Market

Kellen — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 15:10:56 +0000

If you picked up a Transformer Prime (our hands-on) this week...err...if you pre-ordered one and have yet to receive a cancellation notice, then you'll be excited to know that the Tegra 3 version of SHADOWGUN can now be purchased in the market. Well, you can purchase it once your tablet arrives, whenever that may be. Week of December 19 we were told. Anyone received one yet? In this quad-core optimized edition, you will find "console-quality water, enhanced rag-doll physics, particle effects, enhanced shaders and dynamic textures." And all of this is possible thanks to the Tegra 3 chip and it's ultra-powerful GPU. Market Link ($4.99)

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmvJxbHWZSU[/youtube]

MoreQuicklyPanel: Pull-Down Notification Toggles With No Root Required

Tim — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 14:49:02 +0000

Been jealous of all those custom ROM users that are able to choose to have system toggles in the pull-down notification bar? Be jelly no longer. Introducing MoreQuicklyPanel, which allows for a variety of system setting toggles to be controlled right from your notification bar including WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS, and so much more. You can change the color from ICS blue, Gingerbread Green, or even the white as shown above. But, the most impressive part yet is that no root is required to run the app. It costs a mere $1.28 in the Android Market and is surely worth the asking price. Have fun all you non-root users! *Note - Ice Cream Sandwich or Honeycomb only. Market Link Cheers Muffnman!

Pixel Rain, Pixel Rain! One of the Best Live Wallpapers on Android

Kellen — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 14:21:24 +0000

Who knew that an Android live wallpaper would bring out my inner Prince? So, Pixel Rain is by no means a new live wallpaper, but it's one that every person with an Android phone should know about. It's free in the market, gives you an excuse to shout out "I'm makin' it rain!" at the club, and turns your phone into all sorts of wet 'n wild pretty. The customizations here are as extensive as most of the other top tier live wallpapers, yet again, this one costs you nothing. Grab it, folks. Market Link

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4EIySe04cEQ[/youtube]

NFL Mobile App Headed to Galaxy Nexus Today? (Updated)

Kellen — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 12:44:30 +0000

Update: One source just reached out to let us know that it may not happen today after all. Could have been pushed to January 4. Feel free to check in 10 minutes or so though. As many of you know, the NFL Mobile app from Verizon does not currently support the Galaxy Nexus. That should change by December 22 (today) at 2PM Pacific according to a couple of our sources. And if it meets that date, it should have plenty of time to be optimized for that Super Bowl streaming that so many of you plan to take advantage of. Too much sarcasm there? Cheers ___ and ___!

Noticing Lag in the Ice Cream Sandwich Keyboard in Landscape Mode? (Updated: With Fix)

Kellen — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 12:18:53 +0000

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5feSgme6Hs[/youtube]

Landscape typers, how has your life been with Ice Cream Sandwich? One of our readers sent over a tip last night suggesting that there is a massive lag issue if you type more than a sentence or two with your phone cocked sideways. After testing (as you will see in the video above), we would tend to agree that there is most definitely some sort of issue going on. Through the first 30 seconds or so, all is well other than my poor typing skills. But then around the 32 second mark, you get to see the lag in all of its glory. I think at one point, you can even catch a lonely "G" hanging on the screen for 3-4 seconds even though I had typed out a full 2 words. What can you do to fix it? Well, we can sit back and wait for Google to. You could also switch keyboards to one of your favorites, like Swiftkey or Swype. In the comments, we also had someone suggest that ROM developers are fixing this already. So you have options - it's not the end of the world. Update: Thanks to read T4rd, we have a fix. Well, it seemed to fix the issue immediately on my phone that is.

Head into Settings>Language & input> and uncheck the box for "Spelling correction."

This seems to have taken care of the problem. And don't worry about this turning off auto-correction, there are separate auto-correction settings in the actual keyboard settings that remain active. This could turn off Android's ability to spell check and underline words in red though. So in order to reduce lag, you would be disabling a feature. Experiencing similar issues? Cheers AMyrick!

LG Spectrum and HTC Fireball to be Verizon's First 4G LTE Global Devices?

Kellen — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 11:38:30 +0000

The LG Spectrum and HTC Fireball could be Verizon's first set of 4G LTE global devices if this system screenshot is correct. You see that little "O" up there under Global Phone? That would be replaced with an "N" if it lacked global capabilities, so this is a good sign. So far, Big Red hasn't produced a "global ready" LTE phone, even though the DROID RAZR has global GSM radios in it. In a market that seems to have more LTE choices than many of you know what to do with, having global roaming capabilities is certainly a way to separate yourself. What else do we know about the Spectrum and Fireball? Well, not much when it comes to the Fireball. This phone just jumped onto our radar within the last week, and the only real thing we have to go on is the model number of ADR6410. The Thunderbolt was AD6400 and the Rezound is ADR6425, so that would lead us to believe that it will fall somewhere in between them spec-wise. Is this the true replacement for the Thunderbolt? Could the "10" in 6410 mean keyboard? Tough to tell. The LG Spectrum on the other hand is expected to be identical to the LG Nitro HD that launched on AT&T this month. It should rock a 4.5" HD screen, 1.5GHz dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM, anywhere from 4GB-16GB of internal storage, and an 8MP rear camera that can shoot 1080p video. It should be Verizon's best LG device yet. No word on a release for either, but we do know that the Spectrum has been in the works for quite some time. The Fireball on the hand, remains a mystery. Cheers ___!

Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto III Goes On Sale For $3 During The Holidays

Tim — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 10:08:35 +0000

Haven't picked up Grand Theft Auto III for your mobile yet? Then do so now. Until December 29th, Rockstar has placed a $2.99 price tag on this epic piece of work. As an added "boo-yah", Galaxy Nexus support has arrived for everyone waiting and praying. Go get it! Market Link Cheers Sonnydroid!

Swype Now Working On Galaxy Nexus, Thanks To Modders

Tim — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 08:52:14 +0000

Been waiting and hoping that Swype would finally deliver the goods for all of us Galaxy Nexus owners? Wait no more. The folks at Swype initially reported that due to a change in the way screen resolution is reported in Ice Cream Sandwich, that a version of its popular software may not be available anytime soon for 4.0+ devices. Well, what I guess they chose not to realize is that there are many people out there who spend their time tinkering with these apps in the hopes that they can get them working as we see fit. A modder named theb1rdm4n over at XDA has reconstructed the newest Swype apk to work beautifully on the G-Nex's huge display. Sure, the BlindType-esque keyboard is nice, but to some people there is no replacement for Swype. While we wait for Swype to officially fix the issues they discovered after already launching their newest version, we can relax knowing the hardworking underground developers are here to make sure our devices work as we intended. Download and install as you would any 3rd party app. Enjoy. Update: The developer of this mod came forward in our comments section. His name is theb1rdm4n over at XDA and we would like to thank him for the contribution to the community. Keep it up. Download: Swype-3.2.6.apk [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rX4_DIs1ym0[/youtube] Via: Droid Fans, XDA Cheers, developers!

New Set of DROID 4 Renders Found, Multi-Angle Shots Galore

Kellen — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 08:21:10 +0000

The DROID 4 went from being somewhat of a mystery to having zero secrets over night back at the end of November. All signs pointed to a mid-December release, including Verizon's own droiddoes.com landing pages for it that had been pre-built and tucked away. Then in the last week or so, rumblings of it being pushed back to February cropped up leaving us with a lot of questions. Has Verizon decided to push it back due to slow RAZR and Rezound sales? Have they realized that the Galaxy Nexus is going to sell like hot cakes for the foreseeable future and can't imagine releasing another phone? Not sure. (Note: Those were just random thoughts, folks. By no means do I have sales data.) But what we do have, is another set of pictures that a reader pulled from a DROID 4 SWF file. Is it just me or does the phone look like it has been slightly tweaked again? The all black exterior looks nice, including that top hump that seems to have more of an edge to it. Unlock that bootloader and I'd take one.

Cheers Droid 4 Info!

Here is Some Added Proof to the DROID 4 Launching in February Rumor

Kellen — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 22:34:11 +0000

You know how we mentioned earlier in the day that the DROID 4 may not be launching until February? Here is a bit of proof to add to that rumor. Some Verizon retailers have adjusted their target schedules from a launch date of tomorrow (12/22) to February 2. Does that seem like the oddest and longest push back ever? Yeah, pretty much. But at the same time, if Moto and VZW were going to release this phone, the market would have been completely over-saturated. I know that many of you have dreamt of a 4G LTE slider for years now, but this is most definitely not looking like the right time. The Galaxy Nexus is about to get a huge marketing push, plus the RAZR and Rezound are still new enough to grab some attention. That combination could have spelled disaster for the D4. Cheers ___!

DROID RAZR Update Rolling Out Now

Kellen — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 22:21:34 +0000

Our inbox just blew up with word that the expected update for the DROID RAZR is rolling out to everyone right now. And we aren't talking "soak test" members, this is everyone folks. I just booted up my personal RAZR and sure enough, there was the 6.11.748 update in the flesh. To pull it yourself, head into Settings>About phone>System updates. *Note - The update does break root, will try to re-root in a few minutes. *Note 2 - Root easily regained with DoomLord's V3 root package (pictured top right). [Thread] As you can see, the update is a sizable 57MB, so make sure you have plenty of battery before trying to load this up. After updating, you should have an improved camera, better menu access in a variety of apps, improved 3G/4G connectivity and more. Full changelog below.

Cheers Darryl, Scott and Rob!

Contest: Two Weeks of Holiday Tegra #8 – Win a Lenovo ThinkPad (Updated: Winner Picked!)

Tim — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 17:00:41 +0000

It's Day 8 of DL and NVIDIA’s Two Weeks of Holiday Tegra. Just 3 days left including today to win a NVIDIA Tegra 2 powered tablet, so put on your try hard pants and win yourself a prize. Today we have a Lenovo ThinkPad up for grabs. The ThinkPad is a Tegra 2 powered tablet that is perfect for the businessman in all of us. It utilizes Android 3.1 and features full 2.0 USB and micro-USB ports, plus full size SD card slot along with mini-HDMI output. This tablet is a true workhorse. Ready to win it? Update: And the winner of the Lenovo Thinkpad Tablet is...

@candrade8 who wants to head up to Anchorage, AK for the holidays. Burrrr.

Congrats Christian! Prize: 1 (one) Lenovo ThinkPad. How to enter: 1. In the comments, tell us what your dream vacation destination would be this holiday season would be. 2. Follow @droid_life and @NVIDIATegra on Twitter. 3. Tweet the following message:

Just in time for the holidays. Win a Lenovo ThinkPad from @droid_life and @NVIDIATegra – http://goo.gl/g3iqq #android

Wednesday Poll: Favorite Feature of Your Galaxy Nexus?

Kellen — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 16:36:04 +0000

You are almost a week deep into your Galaxy Nexus and we want to know if anything in particular is "wowing" you. If you could pick your favorite feature so far, what would it be? Is there something that keeps you constantly grabbing for your phone? Is it the crazy fast shutter speed in the camera? The beautiful 4.65" HD Super AMOLED display? The nature-inspired design? Beaming with friends? ~~It's 3-pin docking connector~~ (right)? An easily unlocked bootloader that opens up unlimited possibilities? Or is it Ice Cream Sandwich as a whole?

Meet the Design Team Behind the Samsung Galaxy Nexus

Tim — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 15:38:56 +0000

Many people had input on the design of the world's first device to house Google's newest Android 4.0 "Ice Cream Sandwich" operating system. But no two names were more heavily involved than that of TaeJoong Kim and GiYoung Lee. Recently, the pair sat down to discuss the key design elements found on the Galaxy Nexus and what gives it such a unique yet beautiful look. When asked what inspired the design they spoke of a magnolia petal floating in mid-air. As designers, Kim and Lee tend to favor nature for inspiration rather than modern mechanics.

"All the design projects I’m working on take cues from nature. Nature is authentic and infinite. Before, we tried to take inspiration from polished sports cars and other graceful designs, but then we realized that nature was the source of all inspiration."

Not everything always goes smoothly when designing the next big thing, though. There were challenges. How would they fit all of these features into a sleek and slim body and still have one of the most ergonomically fit phones ever created?

“We used the Soft Feel varnish on the battery cover for improved grip but because of a characteristic of the varnish, it was difficult to match the color with the rear’s metallic spray. I think it’s the product designers’ duty to overcome these difficulties with a deep understanding of the structure, use, and even the production process. Also to make the device more streamlined, we rearranged the hardware components. The development team put a lot of effort in too. Through all this we were finally able to maintain the ergonomic curve as well as the grip. It was all in an effort to adhere to the main design concept.” “The Nexus is the result of great teamwork and cooperation. It was great to see different departments work together for the same goal. When we all realized that we were all striving for the best possible product, I think people really started to appreciate the hard work and contribution of other departments.”

We are truly happy that these two are on our side when it comes to designing Android smartphones. Via: Samsung Tomorrow

Android Market Hosting Music Blowout Sale: Half a Million Albums for $4.99, Over 10 Million Tracks for 49 Cents

Kellen — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 15:16:16 +0000

If you have yet to frequent the Music section in the Android Market, now would probably be a good time to start. A "blowout sale" is underway that will get you into a half a million different albums for $5 each or 10 million different tracks for just 49 cents. Not a bad way for Google to push this new venture. Market Links: Promo Page of Singles | Top Albums

Safe to Assume that the DROID 4 is Not Launching this Week?

Kellen — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 14:33:31 +0000

A couple of reports have indicated that the DROID 4 was on target (at least for a while) to launch on December 22. Since that happens to be tomorrow and we have yet to hear a peep from either Verizon or Motorola, is it safe to assume that it's not coming this week? We have been surprised in the past, but there isn't even an ounce of buzz coming from any of the stores. Sorry folks, looks like your days of a physical keyboard, dual-core processor and 4G LTE are going to have to wait. In randomly related news, we have heard 2-3 times now that the device could have been pushed back to February. By no means do I know what to think about that date (or even if I believe it), but we were starting to wonder how Verizon was planning to sell through inventory of this phone, the Nexus, RAZR and Rezound. You can imagine that stock rooms are going to fill up with 3 out of the 4. Cheers Chris!

Alpha Build Of Ice Cream Sandwich Available For Motorola OG DROID

Tim — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 13:25:58 +0000

CyanogenMod might have officially killed CM support for the OG DROID, but that small fact is not going to stop the good people over at XDA from bringing the newest CM9 to the old iconic device. A pre-Alpha Ice Cream Sandwich build has been made available for flashing by any and all brave testers willing to give it a try. This is not daily driver material. This is for people who are experienced with making backups, wiping your device numerous times, and have some extra time to test things. For the rest of us, we can just sit back and know that people are working hard to bring us ICS to the OG. Download: Droid A855 ICS Build Attempt | Update 1 Via: XDA Cheers John!

Verizon Confirms Galaxy Nexus Software Update, Will "Adjust Signal Indicator" to Better Match Other Devices

Kellen — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 12:54:08 +0000

In a statement to ComputerWorld, Verizon spokesperson Brenda Raney has confirmed that a software update is on the way to the Galaxy Nexus. That update will address the signal indicator on the device which has been showing lower than usual bar readings for customers. Over the weekend, many were quick to blame the radio inside the device as not being able to hold a strong signal, something we now know to not be true. That myth was debunked yesterday by the folks at AnandTech who discovered that the signal strength that the device was seeing was on-par if not better than other LTE devices from Verizon. It was the actual 4G indicator on the screen that was displaying something we were not used to seeing. Raney stressed that the phone has no issues with performance, but that an update will "adjust the signal strength indicator to more closely match other Verizon Wireless devices." The time frame for release was not given. I think we all have opinions on whether or not adjusting the signal indicator is the right thing to do here, so feel free to weigh in via the comments. Via: ComputerWorld

Swype Beta Updated, Adds Dragon Dictation and Advanced Language Modeling

Tim — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 12:16:29 +0000

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2u_InYy-84[/youtube]

With Swype's recent addition of Dragon Dictation, talking to your phone is now less frustrating with no more misheard words. Thanks to the acquisition of Swype by Nuance, Swype has been able to implement Nuance's bread and butter right into their own software. Dragon Dictation is known as a speech to text software that allows for text input up to five times faster than regular pecking. But that's not all, folks. According to Swype developers, Swype is also learning how we, as the consumers, speak. It takes actual context into account as we swipe from key to key, spelling out words. It will then appropriately place the proper word to fit the sentence given the context. And according to their studies, it will only get more intuitive the more you use it.

Swype now features an improved language modeling algorithm, designed to increase the accuracy of the suggestions we offer (such as knowing that you mean "mosh pit" instead of "mosh pot"). By analyzing the text you've already entered, Swype will offer more accurate predictions that make sense in the context of the sentence

Up to a 40% increase in prediction accuracy when a language profile is present

Learns over time as you use it, building up a personal language profile for you.

Enabled only for English, French, Italian, German and Spanish. Other languages coming soon!

Does this all sound extremely tantalizing? Want the newest Swype beta on your device? Then head right here to get it now. Update: According to Swype's beta site, it looks like their app has come onto some bugs or something. Word from Swype is that they are going to have a fix hopefully soon. Keep checking back for further details. Via: Swype

Happy Holidays From Everyone At Google

Tim — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 11:30:02 +0000

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LcG0Ev27Qr8[/youtube]

Google employees look to be in the holiday spirit and have produced a video for everyone who adores some Android cheer. There's beaming, face chatting, and even snow balls in Mountain View! Cheers, Google!

MotoActv Update Available This Week - Introduces 3 Battery Saving Modes, New Clock Faces, Stopwatch Feature and More

Kellen — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 10:21:14 +0000

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXCtX07pn8w[/youtube]

One thing is clear, Motorola is serious about their MotoActv product. Since picking one up on launch day back in November and doing this brief overview video, there have been at least 3 software updates. And that's not counting the one that was just announced today which includes 3 new battery saving modes, additional clock faces, a stopwatch feature, and other things. I'm still on the fence as to whether or not this product is a must have for workout enthusiasts, but I will say that I use it for every run and enjoy it for the most part. I think the price tag is what will scare off most people. The battery life was also once great and is now atrocious, so hopefully this latest update helps. Other than that, this is one of those first-gen products that we really need to sit back and watch evolve. For those with the 8GB version, this new update should be out some time today. The 16GB model will receive the update within the next week.

700,000 Android Devices are Activated Every Single Day

Kellen — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 09:42:37 +0000

Think about that number for a second. At the end of tomorrow another 1.4million Android devices will have been activated. By X-mas, 3.5million. Astonishing. Oh, and in June, we were seeing 500K per day. Quite the jump in about 6 months time.

Firefox On Android Redesigned For Honeycomb Tablets

Tim — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 09:38:28 +0000

Folks hoping for Firefox to make its optimized way to their Android tablets have received another early Christmas present. The hardworking people over at Firefox have recently pumped out a completely revamped version of the popular web browser just for tablets. Along with the new look you will also notice minor bug fixes here and there and as an added nice gesture, you should also see a faster start-up time for the app. On a separate note we would like to add that it should be a crime to Photoshop HTC's Sense UI over a Galaxy Nexus. What were they thinking?

What's in this version:

New tablet UI and features

Faster start-up time

Camera input support: developers can integrate camera functionality directly in Web sites

HTML5 form validation

More: www.mozilla.org/mobile/9.0/releasenotes

Market Link [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNcgXMW3_0M[/youtube] Via: Mozilla

Video: Quick Software and Hardware Tour of the Asus Transformer Prime

Kellen — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 08:57:44 +0000

The Asus Transformer Prime is set to launch some time within the next couple of weeks, although a firm date has continued to avoid us. We have seen some pre-orders get the green light from major retailers like Amazon, while others were left with cancellation notices. We were told from Asus to expect the "week of 12/19 or later" if that makes it any clearer... But anyways, we got our hands on a Prime early and were able to put it through a quick walk-through video last night. In this clip you will see a tour of the outside, a brief look at the custom software Asus has thrown on it, and finally, a comparison to some of the other tablets and phones in the game. Overall, I'm highly impressed with it so far - now to get to the real testing to see if this puppy is worth the $500-600 price tag that accompanies it.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5vQvW2VBQI[/youtube]

Download: New EK06 and EK04 Radios and Bootloader for the Galaxy Nexus

Kellen — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 08:06:55 +0000

New LTE and 3G radios have been leaked within the last few hours along with a new bootloader for the Galaxy Nexus on Verizon. It'll be tough to tell with Big Red's 4G network having issues across the country, but these should help to improve your signal strength and call quality. Download: 403radios_btldr.zip Instructions:

*You need to have an unlocked bootloader and should probably be rooted so that you can make a backup first. You can get all of the information to do this in our Guide to the Galaxy Nexus. *Warning - Flashing these files while the network is having issue may not be the best idea just yet. I'm sure after doing so that your phone will have to resync itself with the network and that could pose a problem, basically leaving you without data. These files aren't going anywhere, so you may want to wait just a bit before doing this.

1. Download the file from above and drop it on your SD card. 2. If you have not permanently installed recovery, head into ROM Manager and flash a recovery again. 3. When that finishes, reboot into recovery. 4. Scroll down to "backup and restore" and select it. Then choose "backup" to make a backup. 5. When that finishes choose "install zip from sdcard." 6. Then "choose zip from sdcard." 7. Locate the "403radios_btldr.zip" that you downloaded and select it. Choose "yes" to install it. 8. Recovery will now flash the .zip file which will give you updated radios (3G and 4G) and a new bootloader.

*If you are watching your screen during this process, you may notice that it appears to freeze up during the LTE portion. Just be patient and let it finish - do not battery pull.

9. Reboot your phone and head into the About screen to check for the new EK06 and EK04 radios. *Note - If this seems to break something, you can always use fastboot to flash the stock files that were released by Google. Those instructions are here. Via: MyDroidWorld Cheers jnyce!

Another Nationwide Verizon 4G LTE Outage Happening Now? (Updated)

Kellen — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 07:35:14 +0000

We are just crawling out of bed here on the west coast, but according to the massive amount of unread emails in our inbox, a nationwide 4G LTE outage happened last night around 2AM. It's tough to tell if the network is still down as all seems groovy here, 4G signal actually stronger than normal. Update: I spoke too soon, down to just 3G now here in Portland. And according to the comments, there is a pretty large group of you out there that are without 4G. We are going on 5+ hours here of downtime - come on Verizon. Update 8:42AM: 4G seems to be back up here in Portland. Anyone else? Update 9:30AM: Verizon has released a statement:

Verizon Wireless 4G LTE service is returning to normal this morning after company engineers worked to resolve an issue with the 4G network during the early morning hours today. Throughout this time, 4G LTE customers were able to make voice calls and send and receive text messages. The 3G data network operated normally.

So let us know if you are still experiencing data issues.

Here is the Changelog for the Mystery DROID Bionic 5.9.901 Update

Kellen — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 17:56:41 +0000

Remember the mysterious 5.9.901 update that popped up for the DROID Bionic this morning, confusing everyone? Well, we have the official changelog for it - a massive one at that. Seems odd that we would see such a big update so soon after the phone just received one of similar size, but hey, we love updates. And let's not forget that the bug list for the Bionic was unbelievably large to begin with, so a second fixer was probably needed. So what do we have in store? Everything is after the break. Application Updates/Improvements

Preload VCast Apps Store
Preload Sling stub application
Preload MOG stub application
VZNavigator preload updated to version 7.2.0.452
Youtube videos restart after pausing to access Notification Panel
Youtube screen flashes when Back key pressed during video play
Voice call muted while composing a Visual Voiceamail message
Visual Voicemail saves messages to internal memory with UI displaying SD card target
Visual Voicemail delete actions sends delete and save commands to the server

Data Connectivity

Stuck in 3G mode in strong 4G coverage
No 4G data connectivity
No LTE service in LTE only service areas (Hagerstown, MD)
Patch for Alcatel-Lucent LTE infrastructure R9 support
Dual IMSI support
Excessive LTE handover attempts (SIB8 messaging processing)
Improvements in Wi-Fi Mobile Hotspot LTE download performance

Device Operation

OTA update needs to utilize Admin APN
Support for National Plus Code Dialing
Cannot play WAV files
Support for Bluetooth Personal Area Networks (PAN)
Missing SMS alerts while on voice calls
Choppy audio while streaming via to a TV via HDMI
No Bluetooth audio when paired and connected

Stability/Performance Improvements

Black screen lockups
Reduced idle resets
Voice call drops when SMS message is received
Lockups when XT875 is in the multimedia dock
Resets after camera multi-shots are taken
Internal memory file creation dates shown as December 31, 1969
Clock widget time does not match Notification Panel time

Told you it was big. So more bloatware and a ton of data connectivity fixes. Cheers ___!

Contest: Two Weeks of Holiday Tegra #7 – Win a 16GB Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 WiFi (Updated: Winner Picked!)

Tim — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 17:00:24 +0000

It is now Day 7 of DL and NVIDIA's Two Weeks of Holiday Tegra. Everyone has just 4 days left to win themselves some tegra-powered tablet goodness. So far we have given away 6 tablets and still have 4 more to go. So let's keep it going with the Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 WiFi. The Galaxy Tab 8.9 has an extremely thin housing which is powered by NVIDIA's Tegra 2 dual-core processor. Viewing documents and videos are a real pleasure with the tab's 8.9" HD WXGA display coupled with both, front and back cameras. Have at it. Update: And the winner of the Galaxy Tab 8.9 is...

Br_d who can't get enough of Cartman's version of O' Holy Night.

Congrats Brad! Prize: 1 (one) Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 WiFi. How to enter: 1. In the comments, tell us what your favorite Christmas song is. 2. Follow @droid_life and @NVIDIATegra on Twitter. 3. Tweet the following message:

Just in time for the holidays. Win a Galaxy Tab 8.9 from @droid_life and @NVIDIATegra – http://goo.gl/ILI3F #android

Quick Gallery: Hands-on with the Asus Transformer Prime

Kellen — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 16:13:16 +0000

The folks at Asus were kind enough to send us over a Transformer Prime to play with just before launch, so before we get into all of the goodness that it is capable of, we thought we would toss out a quick gallery and our first impressions. As you all know, this beast of a tablet is the world's first NVIDIA Tegra 3 quad-core powered Android tablet and boy is it noticeable from the get-go. Flipping between home screens never felt so good. The touch sensitivity is also out of this world smooth, and the response you get when touching anything is faster than any tablet I've ever used - and I've used them all. The camera - so far - feels upgraded over any of the other players in the game (and it should be at 8MP and F2.4 large aperture). One thing to be aware of though, is that this is not running stock Honeycomb. I would assume that most of us are fine with that knowing that Android 3.0 was about as bare bones as you could get and was in need of an upgrade from the beginning. So Asus has tried to improve on that while still keeping the overall feel of HC. Bloatware is there, but at the same time, a lot of it on this tablet is pre-loaded stuff for me to test. The screen is vibrant and easily up there or beyond that of the Galaxy T ab 10.1. The device itself is incredibly light. And you won't believe the thinness and how easy it is to hold in one hand when compared to others. So far so good, enjoy the pics after the break. Video on the way.

Anything you want me to specifically test? I should have a docking station at some point very soon and will do a full walk-through of that as well.

Motorola Handing Out 6 White DROID RAZRs From Now Through X-mas

Kellen — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 15:10:46 +0000

Even if you picked up a Galaxy Nexus, Rezound or DROID RAZR some time in the last few weeks, I'm sure you wouldn't say "no" to a free phone, would you? Motorola kicked off a new contest that will reward 6 people on Twitter with a shiny new white DROID RAZR as we get closer to X-mas. In order to enter, all you need to do is follow @Motorola and tweet something to your friends while including the hashtag #WhiteRazrXmas. Winners will be chosen on 12/27 - you can enter as many times as you'd like, as far as I can tell. Oh, and if you live in Los Angeles, you can find a special white RAZR that Cee-Lo has hidden. Follow him on Twitter to get the clues for that. Rules.

Droid Life's Top 25 Android Apps Of 2011

Tim — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 14:40:13 +0000

As we draw closer to the end of year, we wanted to reflect on some of the apps that seemed to have taken 2011 by storm. It was only a year ago that the Android Market hit the 200,000 apps milestone, and now we are talking 10 billion app downloads and beyond. Whether it was a new messaging client, revamped social networking tool, or even a game that consumed our days to the fullest, this was a great year for applications on Android. 2011 also marked the release of the Amazon Appstore, which changed the way developers could market their apps to potential buyers and also showed that Amazon knew people loved free things. So below, we have a list of the apps that we feel were the most popular, talked about and influential here at Droid Life throughout the year. We have tried to keep it to apps that were released this year, but might have one or two that were released in late 2010, or that were just too damn good and received a big enough overhaul to leave out. There are games, utilities, social media outlets, home replacements, and everything in between. These aren't in any particular order of importance, so feel free to sift through and weigh in with your opinions via the comments. Did we miss any? Agree or disagree with our top choices?

Top Twenty Five Apps Of 2011:

Cut the Rope - An iOS game with possibly the cutest little green character called Om Nom, that finally made its way to Android in 2011. In a mobile gaming world dominated by that damn birds game, this was the breath of fresh air we had been waiting for.

Google Reader - Before Google Reader, we were forced into testing out every 3rd party feed reader app that Frank and Joe hacked together in their basement. The options were pretty limited. After receiving its official release and a number of UI enhancements, this is easily the best reader on the market. Google+ - Google+ is supposed to battle it out with Facebook for the top social network on the planet. The jury is still out on whether or not they will even come close, but their app is sure lovely. It has had a number of major changes since launch and continues to improve monthly. Group video chat from anywhere with your 9 best friends? Hard to beat that.

Swiftkey X - Back in May, SwiftKey added an "X" to its name and became the #1 third-party Android keyboard. We have done many polls as to which keyboard our reader's favored and it is clearly SwiftKey X. WidgetLocker - OK, so this wasn't released in 2011 or at the end of 2010, but we are making an exception this time around. WidgetLocker and its update that included Ice Cream Sandwich and Honeycomb locks was beyond "epic." Our phone's lockscreen managed to turn into the coolest feature on our phone, over night. GO Launcher EX - One of the newer home replacements on the Market that has collected itself a somewhat cult-like following. With tons of different themes and add-ons, you can't go wrong with GO Launcher EX. For that matter, anything by the GO team is usually Grade A material, including their SMS add-on, lock screen replacement and set of widgets. ADW EX - Believe it or not, the EX version of ADW was released at the tail end of 2010 and this list wouldn't be complete without it. Screen transitions, themes galore, and a stock addition to every CyanogenMod ROM downloaded? Easily the most used home replacement available. Netflix - When first dropped, Netflix had some real problems. It would work for only an extremely limited amount of devices and a hacked version had to be released every other week to undo the locks that the Netflix team put on it. Now that the app is working for almost all devices, our streaming addictions have been fulfilled. Hulu Plus - Just like Netflix, Hulu Plus was met with a less than friendly initial review by many. Only a few devices were allowed access to it from the beginning, and hacked versions could be found in almost any forum for your non-supported phone. Hulu lightened up on OS requirements and has made the app available for everyone, making it one of the most popular apps in the Android Market.

Minecraft - Now when you say something has a cult following, that does not come close to comparing to the type of following that Minecraft has. Some people just don't seem to understand why over 4.2 million people have purchased and continue to play this game on their computers. After being released for Android, the rest was history. Endless fun and building adventures. Notch rocks. Words with Friends - Zynga's huge smash hit for iOS finally came to Android. One of the best Scrabble-like games you will find on the Market. CircleLauncher - Once CircleLauncher hit the Market, Kellex could not stop talking about how awesome it was. As one of the more useful widgets you will find on Android, we can't recommend it enough.

Pulse - We run polls on favorite apps from time to time and Pulse Reader is always on someone's top list. It is a great application for viewing all types of news in an image-friendly way. A number of updates throughout the year continued to add to the polish and overall experience of one of the most popular news readers we have encountered. SHADOWGUN - Possibly the most anticipated mobile game of the entire year came from Madfinger Games. Touting console quality graphics and intense gameplay, SHADOWGUN was everywhere. It delivered for the most part, and should be a great benchmark for future game developers to match their work up against.

Google Music - Google lifted the beta tag from Google Music and launched its very own Android Music store. Being one of the newest apps available on this year's list, people are still getting the hang of its power, but there is no doubt that Google Music will be here for a long time to come. HBO GO - The ability to take your East Bound and Down anywhere you go is important to some. Including us. Thanks HBO, for allowing us to be addicted to your shows wherever we may be! Thumb Keyboard - If you own an Android tablet and are not using Thumb Keyboard, then you are most definitely doing it wrong. Without a doubt our favorite 3rd-party tablet keyboard.

Plants vs. Zombies - The iOS classic came to Android as an exclusive to the Amazon Appstore for free. After the initial release period, popularity still grew and it has become just as popular on this platform as it was on Apple's. Destroy those pesky zombies! Jet Car Stunts - After release, Kellex had a serious addiction to this game. The object is for you to drive jet powered cars down tracks and through rings to beat the clock. It has made our list for the simple reason that it is highly addictive and hours of fun. Hard to imagine that it has been out for a year already.

Amazon MP3 - Thanks to the addition of Cloud Storage, Amazon MP3 quickly became the talk of the town again in 2011. For purchasing a single music album, users were given 20GB of online cloud storage for free. It was one of the original apps that came on Android devices, but thanks to the additional features it received this year, it is basically a completely new application. Screenshot ER - Simply the best screen capture app available. Many of our old favorites were pulled long ago, but this app would have replaced them anyway. Even with native screenshots through ICS, you may still want to try this one out - if you are rooted that is. Clock Widgets (D-Clock, clockr, BobClockD3) - Too many great clock widgets to name just one so we had to include three of them. These were the 3 favorites we had from this year.

Spotify - Spotify allows its users to choose an unlimited number of their favorite tracks, make playlists out of them, listen to them offline and even enjoy them on mobile devices. You can skip around, choose specific tracks, and never have to listen to the random no-name band that sort of sounds like the actual band you like. Google Currents - Google's brand new app called Currents is our wild card this year. It was just released, but we have a feeling this could be a hugely popular app. The layout of the app is beautiful and it offers a nice minimal and readable feed/subscription reader look, similar to Flipboard or Pulse. Oh, and you can subscribe to our edition here. ScreenCast - It is hard to believe that ScreenCast is the first app to allow you to create truly clean recordings from on your device, but it is. And boy is it good. Rooted users only on this one.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBVOvylU8K0[/youtube]

Honorable Mentions (oldies but goodies):

LauncherPro - We might not have seen as many updates (or that unicorn rewrite) as we wanted this year, but there is no doubt that our readers still love them some LauncherPro. Cheers Federico! Skype - This year Skype became what we thought it would be at first release. Video chatting and messaging were added, making this an actual worthwhile application. Google Maps - An app that is always getting better and better as time goes by. In 2011, Google Maps went 3D. First, we saw 3D cities popping up, but within the last couple of weeks Google started to unveil their inner navigation skills by giving us 3D layouts of malls and airports. ROM Manager - Another app that rooted users should never be without. A portal to world of custom ROMs and themes. Definitely older than 2011, but we couldn't leave it off the list. Evernote - Kellex was always one to question the uses of this app, but I see him recommend it to folks on the regular. A couple of major UI overhauls, including one for tablets, Evernote continues to be one of the best ways to keep your life organized.

________________________________________________________

We would love to hear your thoughts. What were your top apps of the year?

Motorola XOOM Accessories Going For 80% Off In Verizon Stores, If You Can Find Them

Dan — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 14:00:33 +0000

One of our readers went into his local Verizon store to pick up some accessories for his Motorola XOOM, what he didn't expect was to find a whopping 80% discount. With Verizon and Motorola now pushing the new Xyboard tablets, it seems as if they are looking to clear space and are practically giving away old XOOM accessories. The standard dock usually sells for $50 can now be had for $10, while the HD dock with speakers and HDMI out for normally $90 can be had for $20. Anyone looking for some accessories for their (or possibly a friend's) XOOM should check out their local Verizon store. Christmas is just around the corner and these could be pretty awesome gifts for your XOOM loving friends, significant other or family members. Cheers Michael!

Download: HD Netflix For Verizon 4G LTE Galaxy Nexus

Tim — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 13:13:37 +0000

The good folks over at XDA have brought a working HD Netflix application to the Verizon 4G LTE Galaxy Nexus. It could quite possibly be the same app you would find on the DROID RAZR which also came stock with the HD version of the app. You should probably uninstall any other Netflix you have loaded so they don't clash and then install this as you would any other 3rd party app. Enjoy some HD Pawn Stars. Download: Netflix_HD.apk Via: XDA Cheers Eric!

Galaxy Nexus LTE Signal Is More Accurate Than Others, There May Be No Problem

Dan — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 12:30:43 +0000

Our friends over at AnandTech did quite the investigation on the reported signal strength issue with the Galaxy Nexus. Users were reporting numerous dropped calls and a weak 4G LTE signal - I for one have only seen higher than 3 bars once. While the signal strength was lacking, I never experienced speeds anywhere close to the level of 3G and continuously averaged 16Mbps down. After investigating the issue, AnandTech has reported that there isn't really any issue at all. In fact, the Galaxy Nexus (thanks to ICS) is reporting the accurate number of bars, where as non-ICS 4G LTE phones are showing three to four bars over their true amount. Additionally, when going to Settings > Menu > About Phone > Status on a non-ICS device the reported signal strength is actually 3G and not the 4G signal. In the image above, you can see that the Galaxy Nexus and DROID Charge have a very similar signal strength, however the Charge shows four bars of service while the Nexus is showing the accurate one-bar. All in all, you should not use the signal bars to judge your 4G LTE strength. You can sleep soundly knowing that the Galaxy Nexus features the same signal strength as all of Verizon's 4G LTE devices. Remember, Verizon is improving their 4G LTE network each month, it is a work in progress and it will only get better. Via: AnandTech

Variety of Android 4.0.3 ROMs Already Available for the Galaxy Nexus LTE

Kellen — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 11:52:08 +0000

The Android team announced at the end of last week that Android 4.0.3 would be the base of Ice Cream Sandwich going forward. Everyone cheered at the new social integration tools and camera capabilities, but then quickly realized one thing - the Galaxy Nexus is still on Android 4.0.2. So while we watched the Nexus S then receive Android 4.0.3 over the weekend, you can imagine that some G-Nex owners were slightly annoyed. And while we are sure that an update will be out in no time, this just means that we will simply have to look to the developer community to get us up to date. After all, isn't that the beauty of a Nexus? We grabbed 3 of the first Android 4.0.3 based ROMs that we could find for the LTE version, all of which happen to have been created by some of our favorite people or based off of our favorite ROMs. There is a CyanogenMod 9 kang, the RootzBoat from our boy Birdman, and some Gummy love from Kejar who you all know from the Liberty series.

Threads: CM9 Kang | RootzBoat | GummyNex

Favorites so far?

HTC Rezound Drops to $149 Through Amazon

Kellen — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 11:25:20 +0000

It may not have been adopted as highly by the developer community as past HTC devices were, but the HTC Rezound is still one heck of a phone that should not be ignored. You can't argue against its impressive spec list (1.5GHz dual-core processor, 1GB RAM, etc.), LTE power, Beats audio integration, and incredible HD display. The timing of its release though, may have been all wrong. With the DROID RAZR and Galaxy Nexus seeing releases around it, we're not sure it ever stood a chance, which is too bad. Not everyone wants Blur or to deal with Samsung build quality and this is their option. Since it is available for new customers and upgrades at $149.99 through Amazon, we had to pass the word along. Buy. Cheers Tim!

Super Bowl XLVI to be Streamed Through Verizon's NFL Mobile App, Hopefully We Have Galaxy Nexus Support by Then

Kellen — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 10:50:55 +0000

This year's Super Bowl XLVI in Indianapolis can be watched on your mobile device thanks to Verizon and their NFL Mobile app. And not only will you get to stream the game from anywhere, but the coverage will include additional camera angles, in-game highlights and live stats. This is fantastic news for those that either have to work on that day, are traveling, or for whatever reason cannot join their friends for another epic party. The Super Bowl will take place on February 5. Now, when can we expect to see support for the Galaxy Nexus? Verizon has assured us all that a working version is on the way, so here's to hoping it arrives within the next month. Via: WSJ

How to: Turn Off 4G LTE on the Galaxy Nexus

Kellen — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 09:50:29 +0000

Does everyone already know how to turn off 4G LTE on your Galaxy Nexus? For those that don't, this is probably the best way to extend out your battery life. In fact, yesterday I turned to 3G and WiFi only and was at 52% on the extended battery after almost 9 hours of use. While it may seem to defeat the purpose of having 4G, this is the reality that we live in for now with the current set of LTE chips. 4G LTE is really only needed when streaming, downloading something massive, or cruising the web. Otherwise, you can accomplish email reading, receive notifications, and make calls while on 3G. To toggle off 4G, simply do the following:

Settings>More...>Mobile networks>Network Mode> and choose "CDMA"

Enjoy the extended battery life. Now, can someone create a quick toggle widget already?

Download: Dropbox V1.3.0.6 With Bulk Uploads, Gallery Improvements, and Ice Cream Sandwich Support

Kellen — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 09:10:09 +0000

The Dropbox team released the latest version of their Android app today that has been optimized for Ice Cream Sandwich. While seeing "ICS" attached to an update is all the rage these days, that is definitely not all that went into this build. The list of improvements is major, and includes bulk uploads of videos and pictures, renaming of folders and files, an improved gallery view, uploading from local storage and more. Yeah, it's impressive. Full changelog:

Favorites: quick offline access to files
Bulk upload photos and videos
Rename files and folders
Single-tap access to all file and folder actions
Improved gallery view
Upload from and export to local storage
Numerous bug fixes and stability improvements

The build will be in the market soon, but if you want to test it now, we have the link for you down below thanks to their support forums. Download: Dropbox1306.apk Via: Dropbox Cheers Adam!

Ice Cream Sandwich Makes Its Way To The DROIDX In The Form Of EncounterICS

Tim — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 08:47:42 +0000

Development for the DROIDX is still going strong and Ice Cream Sandwich has unofficially made its way to the handset thanks to the underground Android developer community. A dev by the name of firstEncounter over at RootzWiki got a little tired of not seeing enough ICS for his device and decided to go ahead and start making one that worked properly. He must have done pretty well because we have been getting lots of emails regarding his work. From the looks of the forum post, his ROM almost has all the fully working features one would hope for in a daily driver. The ROM is based on CyanogenMod 9 and has working radio/data, SMS, WiFi, hardware buttons, and so much more. But as always, there are a few things that are not working as well such as the camera, MMS, and voice input. Development is continuous so we are sure to see some of those kinks worked out soon. If you want to give ICS on your DX a go, then follow the via link down below and make sure to read the instructions and create a backup. Good luck and have fun! Via: RootzWiki Cheers everyone who sent this in!

DROID Bionic Receiving Mysterious 5.9.901 Update?

Kellen — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 08:18:39 +0000

A little over a week after the DROID Bionic received a substantial bug fixer, a new update has popped up on a variety of handsets as build 5.9.901. We poked around for a changelog, but have come up empty. It's definitely a mystery, though you can load it now thanks to a nice grab by some community forum members. The update is a hefty 56MB in size. Download: Blur_Version.5.5.893.XT875.Verizon.en.US.zip [mirror] Instructions: 1. Download the file from above and drop it on the root of your SD card (not internal storage). 2. Reboot into stock recovery (adb reboot recovery). 3. When the robot appears, press both volume keys in at the same time. 4. Select "apply update from sdcard" using the volume keys, then the power switch to initiate it. 5. Choose the file that you downloaded above and let it load. If you see this, be sure to let us know. Loading on my Bionic now. *Note - Likely breaks root methods. Perma-root may leave you with root though. Via: DF Cheers Kenneth and Nate!

Contest: Two Weeks of Holiday Tegra #6 – Win a 16GB WiFi Acer Iconia Tablet (Updated: Winner Picked!)

Tim — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 20:00:29 +0000

It is now Day 6 of DL and NVIDIA's Two Weeks of Holiday Tegra. You still have five days to win yourself a nice present this holiday season that runs on Google's Honeycomb OS all powered by NVIDIA's Tegra 2 processor. This time we’ve got the Acer Iconia Tab, a 16GB, Tegra 2, dual-camera, WiFi beast that many people have been sleeping on. In the long list of Android tablets available on the market, the Iconia can most definitely hold its own. Who wants it? Update: And the winner of the Acer Iconia Tab is...

Sasquachh says that Android has the best selection of apps, programs and gets the first updates and upgrades on the market.

Congrats! Prize: 1 (one) Acer Iconia. How to enter: 1. In the comments, If someone asked you why they should switch to Android, what would you tell them? 2. Follow @droid_life and @NVIDIATegra on Twitter. 3. Tweet the following message:

Need a last minute X-Mas present? Win an Acer Iconia from @droid_life and @NVIDIATegra – http://goo.gl/lOE0I #android

4. U.S. residents only. Winner: At 6PM Pacific, we will randomly chose a winner from the comments. This post will be updated, comments closed, and the winner notified. Prizes will be shipped at the end of the week.

ITC Rules that HTC Infringes on Apple Patent, Devices Subject to Ban in April 2012

Kellen — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 16:58:02 +0000

The ITC (International Trade Commission) has ruled today that HTC infringes on one of Apple's patents and will face a ban on their products starting April 2012 here in the U.S. The patent in question has to do with formatted data that can be interacted with, such as a phone number in an email. That's right, if you tap on a phone number through Gmail and it performs an action, you are infringing on an Apple patent. HTC has already responded to the ruling, claiming that they have a workaround in place. There is no telling exactly what that will be, but today's ruling would seem to put all Android phone manufacturers at risk. This is a native Android feature to my knowledge, so we will likely need Google to come up with a workaround themselves that can be applied to all Android phones. It's lame, but if Apple was truly the first company on Earth to make formatted info tap-able and has a patent for it, what can you do. We will all want to pay attention to the next couple of months though, as HTC and Google work to come up with some sort of fix. An April deadline has been set. Via: Engadget, BGR

Google Plus Update Brings Hangout Starting Through Messenger, Other Goodies

Kellen — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 16:03:29 +0000

The Google+ team teased us with screenshots the other day that showed the ability to start Hangouts from your mobile device. The update to enable that is now live in the market. It also introduced some other goodies like a newly designed album view for photos, , the ability to leave 1-to-1 Messenger conversations, and people suggestions when starting Messenger conversations. Another worthwhile update - now to get people to use it. Market Link

AT&T Ends Bid to Acquire T-Mobile [from AL]

Kellen — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 14:15:37 +0000

Within the hour, AT&T has announced that it has ended its bid to acquire T-Mobile. At this point, we shouldn't be surprised at this after seeing the FCC and DOJ do their best to shut it down. The big question is, "What does AT&T do now?" One thing is clear, that they have a lot of catching up to do with Verizon. Over the last month, Big Red has purchased an enormous amount of spectrum to help stabilize their network even further, while also giving them a chance to grow it without sacrificing the quality that we have all grown accustomed to. Oh, AT&T also has to pay Deustche Telekom a cool $4 billion for this failure. More coverage at Android Life.

Gameloft's Modern Combat 3: Fallen Nation Now Available For Android

Tim — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 13:45:51 +0000

Game publisher Gameloft has just released their highly awaited Modern Combast 3: Fallen Nation to the Android Market. If you are big into FPS games and are a fan of the Battlefield or Call of Duty series, then you will be right at home. The game runs a not-so-bad $6 and has plenty of features to keep anybody busy. With not only a huge story mode with 13 missions, there are multiplayer game lobbies with up to 12 players on 6 different maps to extend gameplay. All of these features will put a nice dent in your phone's storage though. As stated in the Market, the game requires a full 1.37GB of free storage on your phone. Good bye, Angry Birds. Enjoy the trailer down below. Market Link [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdF0EvDwH-Y[/youtube]

Verizon's Rugged Beast the Casio Commando Receives Update

Kellen — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 13:13:27 +0000

Every time I type the words "Casio g'z0ne Commando" I feel like throwing on some wet gear, boots, CamelBak, and crushing the wilderness. It just looks like some kind of a "man" phone. Funny thing is, our reader who tipped us to the update said that "his wife's" phone is the one that received it. So what's included? A security patch, better proximity sensor interaction, native email app fixes, Netflix compatibility added, and 3D city downloads through VZ Navigator. More info. Cheers Jerry!

Having Trouble Syncing High Quality Contact Pics To Your Galaxy Nexus? Try These Tips

Tim — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 12:23:34 +0000

We have received enough emails from readers who are tired of seeing pixelated photos while thumbing through their contact that we stressed our brains to try and find some fixes. See, we have this theory that Google's servers are to blame since their contact system only holds small photos (possibly 125x125). You may take or attach a high-res photo to a contact, but once it syncs with Google, the size is dropped down, hence the poor photo quality that mysteriously shows up on your phone. As you can see in the picture above, we were all high quality for a minute - trust me when I say that the photo is no longer that sharp now that it has sync'd. So how do we go about getting nice quality pictures in our contact lists? Well there are a few options out there to try. If you are looking to pull high quality images from Facebook into your contacts, you can download Friendcaster which claims to allow for syncing of higher quality photos. It's tough to tell if it actually works well, but if you notice that the pics still look funky, then try turning off your contact syncing with Google so that their servers stop putting the old photos on your device. And speaking of turning off Google sync, another option is to do just that. Turn off sync and then manually set high-res photos of your friends. Since it can't upload them to Google contacts only to convert them to smaller, lower-res images to be returned to your phone, you should be swimming in quality. This of course defeats the purpose of having everything sync'd at all times with Google's cloud. The other option, is to tell all of your friends to get on Google+ since it appears to use high-res profile images from it by default. Update: Here is another great option for everyone. It's called HaxSync and it just hit the Market from an XDA developer specifically for this purpose. Have at it. Cheers Eric, Dan, K, Alex, and Thomas!

No One Unboxes a Galaxy Nexus Better than a Ninja, No One

Kellen — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 11:27:19 +0000

Just in case your day had an hour long gap that needed to be filled, we thought we would show you the ninja unboxing of the Galaxy Nexus. In the past, the ninja has made quick work of his unboxing, but this time around, he wants you to put your skills to the test a little for it. Rather than watching him do work with the sword, you get to control his unboxing fate. That's right, the Nexus Ninja is now the star of his own low budget game in the Android Market. Beat it, and the unboxing will commence. Have fun! Market Link | Youtube Cheers Nadeem!

Some Asus Transformer Prime Pre-Orders Shipping, Cancelled Orders Entitle You to $10 Gift Card

Kellen — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 11:00:30 +0000

The Asus Transformer Prime has had about as many rumored release dates and delays as any device, including the Galaxy Nexus. The most solid of them though, was December 19, which now looks to be semi-correct. While you may not find the device in stores today here in the States, some pre-orders for folks have begun to ship and even have estimated dates of arrival. A couple of our readers received emails with December 20 as a possibility, while others were given a range of 12/22 - 12/29. I think it's safe to say that we will likely see the same low inventory levels that we saw with the original Transformer from last year. Nice way to build up demand though, right? Here are a couple of excepts from Amazon email pre-orders:

"ASUS Transformer Prime TF201-B1-CG 10.1-Inch 32GB Tablet (Champagne)" Estimated arrival date: December 20, 2011 "ASUS Transformer Prime TF201-B1-CG 10.1-Inch 32GB Tablet (Champagne)" Estimated arrival date: December 22, 2011 - December 29, 2011

Unfortunately not all pre-order news was good this weekend. Some of our readers also got the email below which is an apology from Amazon over "inadvertently canceled" orders:

Hello, We wanted to let you know your order for Transformer TF201-B1-GR (10.1-Inch Screen) Tablet was inadvertently canceled by our system. We're very sorry about this. If you’d still like to purchase Transformer TF201-B1-GR (10.1-Inch Screen) Tablet, you may pre-order again after 12:00 a.m. PST December 19th at the following link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0067PLM5E To make up for any inconvenience, we'll be sending you a $10 Amazon.com Gift Card code in the next few days via e-mail. We hope to see you again soon. Sincerely, Customer Service Department Amazon.com http://www.amazon.com

Has your order shipped or was it cancelled? Cheers Marc, Tom, Rich, Jared, and Carlos!

XDA Provides Working Ice Cream Sandwich On Your WiFi XOOM, Ready To Flash At Your Leisure

Eric — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 10:25:52 +0000

The Motorola XOOM may not be the best tablet on the market, but it is Google's developer tablet, that means that it was the likely candidate for getting the bump to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich first. While nothing official has been released yet, the Android developer community jumped when they saw that the source for 4.0.3 included support for the XOOM's kernel. What you see is an almost fully working compilation of ICS for the XOOM. And let me tell you, it is like a whole new tablet.

Installation is pretty easy provided that you have a rooted/unlocked XOOM already. There are two files that need to be downloaded, the AOSP ROM itself and then the Google Apps file that will work with ICS. Once you have both of those loaded on your SDcard it's as easy as booting into recovery, making a backup, wiping your system and then flashing the two files. The XDA link below has the download for both of those files you need.

The ROM is not fully complete, but the few things that do not work are small ones. Netflix will load but video playback will give a blackscreen while audio plays in the background. The camera is broken (not surprised by that), calendars don't seem to want to sync, and there have been reports of the gyroscope being off by 90 degrees when playing games. But if you want to get a taste of Google's latest on the tablet, I would highly suggest checking it out. The XOOM runs like it never has before after ICS. If you would like to wait for a more stable ROM though, Team Tiamat has just put out links for their WiFi XOOM ICS nightly builds. Within a few weeks there should be a complete update for the XOOM if not an official one. Happy flashing folks.

Via: XDA

Tiamat Nightlies

Eric Schmidt: "In the Next Six Months We Plan to Market a Tablet of the Highest Quality"

Tim — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 09:55:14 +0000

In a conversation with an Italian newspaper, Google Chairman Eric Schmidt has gone on record that Google is pushing hard to bring a Nexus tablet to the market within six months. Schmidt gave little on details of the tablet, but stated that it would be "of the highest quality." With Google and Motorola's new relationship, could we see Moto being tasked with the tablet project? Or possibly Samsung? It seems as if they have been in Google's favor after being commissioned to produce the last two Nexus devices including the Galaxy Nexus. With the already abundant supply of different Android tablets, maybe it is time Google came out and made one definitive tablet that people knew and recognized as Google's answer to Apple's iPad. Schmidt also weighed in ever so slightly on Google's plans to possibly have Majel, Google's counter to Siri, on board the device. No matter who makes the tablet, we as consumers are sure to win. While we wait for pricing, release dates, specs and hypebeasting, tell us what you would hope a pure Google tablet would have on board. Huge processor? Newer operating system? Let us know. Via: Slash Gear

DROID RAZR Update is Ready: Improves Camera, Data Connectivity, and More

Kellen — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 09:18:10 +0000

A soak test for a new DROID RAZR update was prepped last week - that update is starting to roll out to members of the group now. In the support documents that list out the changes for this new software, we can see that some of this stuff is pretty significant. After updating, users will see a stronger data connection on both 4G and 3G and the camera will improve in features and quality. Talk about a fast turn around on bug fixes for a phone that has only been out for a couple of months. Seeing the update? Head into Settings>About phone>System updates to check. More info. Cheers C and anonymous!

Verizon Support: Update to Address Galaxy Nexus Signal Strength in the Works

Kellen — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 09:05:10 +0000

Reports started to flow in over the weekend that the Galaxy Nexus on Verizon was experiencing signal strength issues and possibly dropping calls like a mutha. Can't say that I have noticed the dropped call issue myself, but it does seem tough to ever get a full 4 bars of LTE on this puppy. I'm also not having to toggle in and out of airplane mode as much as some have claimed, but then again, I have had to a couple of times and that's unfortunate. Some have locked onto the idea that the 4.0.2 update somehow broke signal strength - the jury is still out on that. So what is Verizon doing about it? There official Twitter support account claimed this morning that an investigation has started and that a software update "is being developed." Wait, so that essentially says two things: that they aren't sure yet and are looking into it or they already know the issue and are fixing it. Hmmm. Either way, the issue is on their radar and we could see something in no time, being a Nexus and all. How has your experience been? Bad signal and dropped calls? Neither? One or the other? Cheers Chris and Scott!

DROID 4 Still Set for December 22 Release?

Kellen — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 08:38:34 +0000

We were told a couple of weeks ago that the first "DROID" 4G LTE slider - aka the DROID 4 - has a better than average chance of hitting store shelves on December 22. According to a document that popped into our inbox today, that still appears to be the case. Now, we probably do not need to remind you that these things change, but again, these things can change. So if you were looking to harness the power of LTE on the 4th edition of the device that started it all, you could be in for a treat this Thursday. We just need Verizon to make it official. To recap the DROID 4, here are the official specs, how it compares to the RAZR, and a look at the accessory lineup that should be ready for launch. Cheers ___!

What is the HTC Fireball? Headed to Verizon With 4G Soon?

Kellen — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 08:04:37 +0000

Does HTC have another 4G handset in the works for Verizon's 4G LTE network? We are hearing murmurs of a device called the HTC Fireball with 4G, but have no other details to go on. We can see however, that the model number is ADR6410, which happens to fall in between that of the Rezound (ADR6425) and the Thunderbolt (ADR6400). Tough to jump to any conclusions based upon that info, but what if it was say an HTC LTE device with a slideout keyboard and similar specs to the Tbolt? Would you be interested? The date of 12/16/2011 is not a release date, just a system entry date. Cheers ___!

We Need a Nexus Tablet [Opinion]

Ron — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 07:50:41 +0000

Just wanted to point out that this post was finished on Friday night and sure enough, news broke this morning that Eric Schmidt expects there to be a Nexus tablet in 2012.

HP is currently the number two seller of tablets, though most expect Amazon to usurp them in that position (we'll never know for sure because Amazon doesn't release sales numbers). HP didn't become number two (or even number one plus) because people went out in droves to buy the TouchPad for $499 or even $399. HP became number two because they sold the TouchPad for $99 and $149. Amazon is going to do the exact same thing at a $200 price point. Over the past few weeks there have been several articles that argued that Amazon's Kindle Fire is aiming to take out Android tablets, not the iPad. Amazon is obviously trying to beef up their market share by attracting people with a cheap tablet - they made a $200 tablet in every sense of the phrase. Amazon's goal was never to take on the iPad. To try and take out the iPad would take a tremendous effort and a premium product. Amazon's goal was to sell a lot of cheap tablets with minimal effort, which they did. The whole point of a product that you sell at a loss is either to get rid of inventory or to make up sales through services purchased; Amazon is doing the latter. While Amazon's efforts certainly won't disrupt Apple's plans, they could hurt Google. Apple sells a premium product, not a bargain product. Google is trying to do the same thing, but so far tablets like the Samsung Galaxy Tab and the Motorola Xoom haven't fared as well in sales (Motorola and Samsung make up less than 3% of the market by Gruber's estimates). It's possible that products like the ASUS Transformer Prime will gain some traction, but it remains to be seen if any Android tablet can gain significant market share. Even combined, Android tablets are insignificant in market share compared to the iPad. I'm convinced that Google needs to do three things to gain market share in the tablet space: make a halo product, advertise it, and sell it for cheaper than the iPad. Right now the best Android tablet on the market (or at least soon to be on the market) is the ASUS Transformer Prime. The thing that sets the Prime apart from others in my mind isn't the gaming or the support for a wireless controller or the gorgeous display, but rather the dock. The keyboard dock sets the Prime apart because it transforms the Prime (see what I did there?) into a legitimate productivity device. With Ice Cream Sandwich it will only get better. Google needs to partner with a company like ASUS and make a Nexus tablet. For all intents and purposes the Prime is the Nexus tablet (does anyone think the Prime name was an accident?), but having an excellent product isn't enough. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4vkVHijdQk[/youtube] Over the last year Apple has increased spending on advertisement from $691 million to $933 million. In the meantime, Google hasn't run one advertisement about Android tablets. People know about Android phones because the carriers have flooded their stores with dozens of models, but tablets haven't caught on. Even if people don't own an Android phone, they've seen the commercials or one of their friends uses one. There's no way to really tell why Android tablets haven't caught on in the market (much like many journalists are unsure of why Windows Phone still has insanely small market share), but there's no doubt in my mind that advertisements showing off what these devices can do would help increase awareness if not actual sales. For a long time everyone called all smartphones Blackberries. That eventually shifted to iPhones, but now people know the term smartphone (though many still think all Android phones are Droids...). I think most people still call tablets in general iPads (though I've heard some people reference the Galaxy Tab), and with that comes the assumption that the iPad is the only real option. I've seen a lot of people walk through a Best Buy and look at Android tablets, but I haven't seen very many walk out with one. i think part of that is because they're not sure how to really use one. If people started seeing advertisements for a tablet with people using them, however, that might make people more interested. If people saw how tablets like the Transformer Prime can replace their netbook or how the Galaxy Tab 7 Plus can replace their reading device, they might be more inclined to walk out the door with an Android tablet. I'd prefer Google advertise one halo device, but a good commercial showing off the options that their parters offer could help spur on sales for tablets already in the market. I think Google has done a good job in the past of trying to make technology feel human. Their advertising team sees how their products can help people connect in a way that wasn't possible before. Android 4.0 is much more human, and Google should be showing that with advertisements for their tablets. They have the specs and now they have the software, but they need the propaganda. People need to know how good Android tablets are before they will buy them. Google has placed the propaganda burden on the manufacturers, but I think its time they stepped up and did it themselves. I think the final step for Google will be to sell a tablet at a $300 to $400 price. This would place the tablet in between the iPad and the Fire in price, but Google could advertise it as better than both. It's the same argument that Microsoft has made with Windows forever. Microsoft argued that you could get a Windows machine for much less than a Mac. Sure, there's always been the option for a cheaper system by buying the parts yourself and running Linux, but it doesn't offer the same experience as a Windows PC. I think the same argument could work for Google. Google has the money to spend on both advertising and on making a product that they could sell for significantly cheaper. If Google really wants to compete with Apple (and I think they do), then they need to step up their game. It's not enough to partner with Motorola and make a tablet that is bound to a carrier and is overpriced. They should have known from the start that most people aren't buying tablets from a carrier, they're buying the WiFi-only version. It's also not enough to simply rely on the manufacturers to make good products and advertise them well. That plan is obviously not working. It's time for Google to step up and put themselves in the game with a product of their own. Some worry that if Google starts to do this they'll push manufacturers to Microsoft. I don't think that will happen. People don't want a Windows tablet - they never have. People want a light, fun, productive experience. Android can offer a better product than Amazon and Apple, but at a better price. Google has the power to really shift the market for the better. When they first release Android 4.0 I hoped that we would see a new Google. So far I haven't seen that, but I hope that Google will step up and make a product themselves. I'm tired of seeing manufacturers fumble around with Android. I'm tired of seeing carriers tie down devices to their networks. It is time for Google to step up and take control of the tablet space with Android 4.0.

Download: "Nexus" Notification Sound

Kellen — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 16:36:38 +0000

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMRHUkzpzSY[/youtube]

As someone on Twitter said when we tweeted this just a few minutes ago, "The 'DROOIIID' sound is so 2010." What about a "Nexus" noise though? Ready to give it a shot? One of our long time readers asked his friend to create something along those lines and this is what he came up with. I'm liking it. Download: Nexus_Notification.mp3 To have it show up in your Sounds list, use a file manager like Astro to move the downloaded file from Downloads to Notifications. Cheers Keith and to Johnny McKinney for creating it!